The Joint Replacement in a Day program, an initiative at UTMB Health, aims to provide eligible patients with the option to go home the same day for their hip and knee replacement surgeries, rather than spending multiple days recovering in a hospital setting.
“There's no place like home,” UTMB Health orthopedic surgeon Dr. Paul Dicpinigaitis said. “These are hard surgeries to recover from, and there is that certain element of being able to recover in the comforts of your own home—with the comforts of your favorite blanket or food, your family and, of course, your pets.”
Dr. Dicpinigaitis and Dr. Bardia Barimani are UTMB orthopedic surgeons who both specialize in joint replacement and reconstruction surgeries, serve as assistant professors and are esteemed, board-certified orthopedic specialists. They are excited to offer this approach to eligible patients, which enhances patient experiences by enabling more comfortable, home-based recoveries.
Program benefits include:
- Recovery in the comfort of the patient’s own home, surrounded by loved ones and familiar environments
- Improved psychological and physical recovery experiences in the comfort of a patient’s home environment
- Same-day access to personal routines, preferred foods and immersive social support from family and pets
- Increased satisfaction and reduced stress compared to traditional hospital stays
Historically, joint replacement surgeries required week-long hospital stays and extended rehabilitation. Over time, advancements in surgical techniques and patient care have enabled a transition toward shorter recovery times and outpatient procedures for eligible patients.
Now, UTMB Health offers patients comprehensive pre-surgery education, including its Joint Academy, which prepares patients for the program’s surgery and recovery process and leaves all involved feeling confident about the same-day discharge. On operation day, the surgery proceeds as normal but is followed by physical therapy, thorough post-surgery care and monitoring to ensure a safe and productive at-home recovery.
“Patients are pre-selected for program eligibility in advance,” Dr. Barimani said. “Then, on surgery day, the patient receives physical therapy, pharmaceutical care and other post-surgery services immediately following the hip or knee arthroplasty to ensure they can be discharged safely.”
While at home, the patient and loved ones are supported by a 24/7 post-surgery hotline where medical professionals are prepared to answer questions as they arise. And just because a patient plans for an at-home recovery doesn’t mean they’re required to follow through with it.
“If [the patient] is not feeling great because of the anesthesia, or they're not mobilizing well with the physical therapist, we're flexible. We can always transition that to an admission as well," Dr. Dicpinigaitis said.
Program eligibility
Not all patients are eligible for the Joint Replacement in a Day program, and the surgeons at UTMB Health assess each patient individually, considering their medical history, social support, the surgeon's own experience and the patient’s comfort level to determine eligibility.
Eligibility factors include:
- Patient’s overall health status: Patients should have fewer medical conditions that would not put them at risk by going home immediately after surgery. Conditions like uncontrolled diabetes, heart issues or a history of strokes may make a patient ineligible for same-day discharge.
- Social support network: Patients need to have a strong social support network, typically with someone else at home to assist them. Patients living alone are generally not considered good candidates for the program, as they may require more monitoring and care.
- Surgeon's comfort level: The surgeon's experience and comfort level with same-day discharges play a role in determining eligibility. Surgeons with more experience in the program may be willing to push the boundaries and consider patients with slightly more complex medical histories.
- Patient’s comfort level: Patients need to be mentally prepared and willing to go home the same day, rather than expecting a longer hospital stay. The surgeons emphasize that there is no pressure on patients, and they can always transition to an inpatient admission if the patient is not ready for same-day discharge.
If you are scheduled for or are considering hip or knee joint replacement surgery, learn more about UTMB Health and its Joint Replacement in a Day program by visiting their website.
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