Patient- family centered care is at the core of every initiative here at Outer Banks Health because our goal is to continually improve the patient experience. Based on our 15-year history with total joint replacement surgery, we know that there are some individuals who struggle with the decision to proceed with surgery. Even though their pain continues to increase with every move, their perception of joint replacement surgery is often based on outdated or misinformation.
So we created a bi-weekly, one-hour class for people who are planning or even just considering joint replacement surgery. The class, held at the hospital on alternating Tuesdays, gives participants the opportunity to meet and ask questions of former joint replacement patients as well as learn how to prepare for surgery, what to expect during their hospital stay, and how to make plans for their return home after discharge.
Patients receive a comprehensive manual about total joint replacement which offers invaluable information about the surgery and the rehabilitation process. Our belief is that the better educated a patient is about their surgery, the better their recovery and return to the activities they once loved to do.
