“There’s No Place Like Home…”

“There’s No Place Like Home…”
“There’s No Place Like Home…”

Alec E. Denes, Jr., MD

Formal rehabilitation programs, including inpatient programs at skilled nursing facilities, are commonly utilized by patients following total joint replacement surgeries.   These programs, however, add tremendous additional cost, and recently, the benefits of such programs have been questioned.

The New York Times summarized some recent data and offered an argument for patients to consider recovering at home following their joint replacement surgery.  These data reveal that many patients can experience a very safe and effective recovery at home, with much lower cost.

The joint replacement specialists at O+F have been at the leading edge of this trend for the past several years, encouraging most patients to go home after their joint replacement surgery.  Identifying a primary caretaker, who can act as a “coach” during the first few weeks of the recovery process, is essential.  An outpatient rehabilitation program is typically recommended as well.  This seems to not only reduce cost, but also minimizes the risk of complications.  Talk to the team of specialists at O+F if you have further questions about your recovery after joint replacement surgery.

Check out The New York Times article here!