The center opened in May 2006 and boasts a care delivery system known as Joint Camp, in which a small group of patients arrives the evening before their surgery, undergoes minimally invasive knee or hip replacement surgery on the same day, and then works together as a group for physical therapy and rehabilitation.  Patients are typically discharged three or four days following their surgery.

“There is a lot of value in the camaraderie and healthy competition among patients as they progress together,” says the center’s Nurse Manager Mary Blaha, R.N.  “Patients are also more comfortable because they wear their own clothes and have a spouse or friend to serve as their coach.”

The Orthopaedic Center is housed in a dedicated nursing unit that resembles a hotel, complete with 16 private rooms, sleeping accommodations for coaches, concierge services, gourmet dining and amenities such as a latté bar and hairdresser services.

Complementing the pleasant surroundings is the support and encouragement patients get from one another, their coaches and from the hand-picked staff who provide exceptional customer service.

Another major contributor to successful outcomes is patient education, which begins several weeks prior to joint replacement surgery and continues during the in-hospital experience and following their return home.

“Patients do better when they’re well informed,” says Ms. Blaha.  “They know what to expect and that enhances their overall outcome and results.”