Jim Ballard, MD, and Chris Nanson, MD, two surgeons who practice at the Beaverton-based Oregon Surgical Institute, an ASC dedicated to total joint replacements and other orthopedic procedures, shared their experience performing total joint replacements in the outpatient setting with Regent Surgical Health.
Here are the insights they shared:
1. Dr. Ballard said a large segment of people can undergo outpatient total joint replacement in an ASC, and that the procedure is not just for the "super fit."
2. Dr. Nanson said Oregon Surgical Institute uses Zimmer Biomet's HealthLoop system to engage with patients after procedures to help ensure they have a smooth recovery.
"It’s a great way to involve the patients, and to serve them well even in a high-volume, outpatient center," Dr. Nanson said of the HealthLoop software.
3. Dr. Ballard said physicians looking to start their own total joint-focused ASCs should be prepared for the ups and downs of starting a new business.
"If you can commit to that, welcome to the next frontier! We're at an inflection point, and this is a paradigm shift," Dr. Ballard said in the report. "As a total joint surgeon, I know it is just a matter of whether people will pioneer it in their area, or if somebody else will do it for them."
Dr. Nanson said having a team focused on care pathways is one of the hardest things about making the move to the ASC setting for total joint procedures.
"Everybody on the team has to consistently help the patient know what to expect, what’s going to happen … everyone has to be on board,” he said.