HAGERSTOWN, MD (November 18, 2005) – Washington County Hospital’s Center for Joint Replacement has a reputation for excellence and recently staff from a hospital in Mississippi traveled to Washington County to see how it can be done.
Members of a team from Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian, Mississippi joined Dr. Ralph Salvagno, nurses, operating room staff, physical and occupational therapists, and other hospital representatives for a day and a half. They wanted to learn as much as possible about the nationally-recognized joint program at Washington County Hospital. Rush Foundation Hospital is considering starting their own joint program.
“We provided the Mississippi team information about our program from its inception to how it operates today,” Jeanni Moyer, program manager Total Rehab Care, said. “The goal of the visit was to provide information that would reduce the amount of work they would need to initiate a similar program.”
“The planning phase for the Center for Joint Replacement took one full year and involved many staff to research, develop, and implement what is a best practice for joint replacement patients. During the nine years the Center for Joint Replacement has been in operation, we have continually adjusted and revised the program to better meet the needs of the patients. Sharing this information with the Mississippi team should save them a significant amount of time,” she said.
Dr. Ralph Salvagno, orthopedic surgeon on staff at Washington County Hospital, noted the importance of reviewing the hospital’s current program in order to pass along information. “The event gave us the opportunity to critically evaluate our own program as we present it. When we are asked why we do things a certain way, we look at our experience and our decision making processes. We have the opportunity to hear a different perspective on patient care and sometimes hear about unique solutions to problems that we face,” he said.
During the visit, members of Rush Foundation Hospital had a chance to meet with their Washington County Hospital counterparts. “They brought their director of surgery services to meet with our operating room staff. Their orthopedic surgeon met with ours,” Moyer said. “They spent time with our staff to learn about the various aspects of the program and how we spend time with our patients. Members of the Mississippi team were paired with the hospital staff in the same roles so that could get involved in shadowing their own interests.”
The Center for Joint Replacement at Washington County Hospital is a comprehensive program that includes pre- and postoperative therapy and surgery. Patients have a case manager and a team of professionals to guide them through the patient care program. Additionally, patients go through the program with other patients who are having the same surgery. This provides peer support. The program has demonstrated decreased length of hospital stay, lower costs, and improved recovery rates. The patients are able to achieve a better quality of life more quickly.
The patient care plan is carefully developed by a team of orthopedic surgeons, physical and occupational therapists, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, nutritionists, and representatives from other hospital services, working together to ensure that quality medical care and support are provided. For more information about the Center for Joint Replacement, call 301-790-8060 or visit www.washingtoncountyhospital.com/joint.
