The Joint Program
A stiff, painful knee or hip can interfere with your daily life, making even walking difficult. Thanks to breakthroughs in surgical techniques and materials, your orthopedic surgeon can replace your problem joint using a safe, reliable procedure. This procedure will enable you to resume many of the activities you enjoy without pain.
The Joint Program at Washington Adventist Hospital offer a complete approach to improve the lives of those who suffer from joint pain.
Who Has Joint Replacement Surgery?
Joint replacement is for people whose ability to walk, work or perform even simple activities is severely limited because of arthritis or other causes. Surgery is recommended only after alternative methods have been tried unsuccessfully or are not appropriate for a person's joint problem.
Most orthopedic experts consider replacement to be the best method of handling advanced arthritis in the knee or hip.
The Joint Program: How it Works
Before you have joint replacement surgery, you will attend our Total Joint Replacement Class. In this class, you'll meet other people considering surgery and learn what to expect during your hospital stay, including ways to manage pain.
Your surgery will be performed by one of our board-certified surgeons, who perform more than 250 joint replacement surgeries each year. Throughout your hospital stay, our highly skilled and supportive nurses will monitor your condition with the latest technological equipment.
After your surgery, our physical and occupational therapists will create a rehabilitation program to meet your individual needs.
Benefits of our Joint Program
- State-of-the-art surgical suite
- Pain medication that you can control
- Care plans that enable you to follow your progress through recovery
- Preoperative class and support
- Special education and support for your family
- Case management by our orthopedic nurse clinician
- An all-RN staff, including orthopedically certified nurses on the dedicated Orthopedic Unit
- Knowledgeable and friendly staff
Leaving the Hospital
Most patients having either knee or hip replacement surgery stay in the hospital three or four days. When you are ready to leave the hospital, our social worker will help you make arrangements for the best place to complete your recovery. In some cases, patients are able to return home directly after surgery with nursing and therapy assistance from our home health agency.