Total Joint Replacement Surgery at St. Joseph's/Candler

At the Institute for Advanced Bone and Joint Surgery, our orthopedic surgeons perform more than 800 knee replacements and 600 hip replacements annually. Despite these numbers, we never view these operations as routine. The Center for Joint Replacement is focused on customized care that provides every orthopedic patient with the right orthopedic care, at the right time, every time.

The Center for Joint Replacement participates in many national healthcare quality initiatives, established by leading organizations in healthcare quality improvement, including the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. We only implement best-practice treatment protocols that are research-proven for safety and clinical effectiveness. It is this kind of consideration, experience and leadership that enable our patients to return to active lives after joint-replacement surgery. It's a SMART approach that helps you achieve a successful recovery more quickly.

Informed patients know what to expect throughout their hospital stay. They understand the possible challenges and are prepared to deal with them. As a result, they're less anxious and are more willing to participate in the care process. In short, they're better able to succeed. That's why our staff goes the extra mile to make sure patients, their families and supporters are appropriately educated about all aspects of joint replacement at St. Joseph's/Candler. Our preoperative joint replacement class is designed to completely prepare the total joint patient for surgery and the recovery process.

At the pre-surgical visit to the hospital, the patient spends approximately an hour with members of our orthopedic nursing staff discussing all aspects of the total joint experience. Patients have the opportunity to:

• View sample implants and other equipment used in joint replacement
• Learn what to do at home to help reduce the risk of complications like infection
• Learn what to bring to the hospital
• Learn how to prepare the home for a safe recovery after discharge
• Learn about post-op care (pain control, infection control, physical therapy, etc.)
• Learn what is necessary for effective home care after discharge
• Address concerns about insurance benefits, billing, etc.
• Address concerns about discharge from the hospital and options for extended care
• Ask questions and learn from others that have had joint replacement surgery.

If you have arthritis or painful joints and are considering joint replacement surgery, we invite you to attend one of our joint classes. Please call (912) 819-2200 for more information or to learn about our class schedule.