As healthcare is ever changing we are seeing a trend towards outpatient procedures. Outpatient joint replacement surgery is a safe option that reduce the time you need to spend in the surgical center. In the past outpatient joint surgeries have been performed in a hospital setting, but the national trend has been towards ambulatory surgery centers like the practice of Dr. John Moore. If you are interested in an outpatient joint replacement, contact our Pinehurst, NC office today. How is outpatient joint replacement surgery different from normal joint replacement? Outpatient joint replacement surgery is nationally trending as the first choice for many qualified patients. Studies have shown that outpatient joint surgery has numerous benefits for the patients over tradition joint replacements. These include: Faster recovery Improved outcomes Decrease in infection rates Increased patient satisfaction scores Lower complication rates CANDIDATES FOR OUTPATIENT JOINT REPLACEMENT Candidates for outpatient joint replacement surgery are restricted to privately insured, healthy patients. Due to Medicare restriction, medicare patients are not eligible for outpatient joint replacement. As always patients that are physically healthy and socially supported are the best candidates for the outpatient experience. Dr. Moore has successfully completed over 100 outpatient joint replacements in the past four years with ZERO hospital re-admissions after outpatient surgery. WHERE ARE OUTPATIENT JOINT REPLACEMENTS PERFORMED? The Surgery Center of Pinehurst is the home to our outpatient joint replacement surgeries. This facility is located across the street from our practice and provides easy access to the facility for patients and their families. Dr. Moore’s team has created a structured guideline and protocol for impeccable preoperative and post-operative care to all of our patients. HOW IS AN OUTPATIENT SURGICAL CENTER BETTER THAN A HOSPITAL? The outpatient joint replacement procedure is the same as a hospital setting. The key difference is in the concierge experience. Patients of Dr. Moore will stay one night at our outpatient surgical center, The Surgery Center of Pinehurst. While there, two highly qualified and dedicated nurses (2:1 nursing ratio) will be by your side for any needs or concerns. THE JOINT REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE Prior to your procedure, an anesthesiologist will sedate you and perform a femoral nerve block on you. You will likely not remember the introduction of the procedure. Our anesthesiologist will also As a part of your spinal anesthetic. This type of block causes numbness in the anterior portion of the thigh, and is beneficial in reducing pain after your surgery. From here, your surgery with Dr. Moore will differ depending on what surgery you are reciving. To learn more about a specific surgery, please look at the following pages: Total Knee Replacement Total Hip Replacement Surgury typically requires approximately one hour of time. You will be in the recovery room for one to three hours until the effect of the spinal anesthesia is worn off. Once that occurs and your vital signs are stable, you will be taken to your surgery center hospital room. WILL I NEED PHYSICAL THERAPY AFTER JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY? Yes, you will still need physical therapy after an outpatient joint replacement. Your therapy will be tailored to the type of operation that you received. Only a few hours after surgery, the nurses will have you up walking and you will recieve formal physical therapy the morning after surgery. Prior to your discharge home from Surgery Center of Pinehurst, our physical therapists will have you walking and stair climbing. initially be using a walker but you can advance to the use of crutches if you can master the technique. It is your personal preference whether you go home on a walker or on crutches. The physical therapist will also be certain that you understand your discharge exercise program and have all the assistive devices that will help you cope in the immediate postoperative period.