Extended Medical Listings

Joint and Spine Pavilion to Open This Fall

By Erika Z. Byrd

Private rooms with a view. Pleasant décor in warm desert tones. An on-site therapy gym with some of the latest equipment. . . . It may not be quite like staying at a Ritz-Carlton, but the new Joint and Spine Pavilion at Desert Regional Medical Center is designed to provide a comfortable, healing environment where patients enjoy a short stay following surgery, typically only as long as a weekend getaway. And, you won't find many hospital gowns on this wing, as most patients can choose to wear their own clothing.

Desert Regional Medical Center invested $7 million to construct the 9,448-square-foot dedicated Joint and Spine Pavilion, which will begin accepting patients in September. The unit features 18 private hospital rooms, a physical therapy gym that can accommodate four patients at a time, a reception area/nurses' station, and a manager's office. Located on the second floor of the east wing of the hospital, the pavilion is designed to keep orthopedic and spine patients together in their own space.

A WELLNESS-BASED APPROACH WITH SPECIALIZED CARE

"We wanted to create an experience for the patient that allowed for no gaps in the continuum of care," says Deborah McCoy, RN, Service Line Administrator for Orthopedics and Neurosciences at Desert Regional Medical Center. "From the time patients are diagnosed, through surgery, post-surgery, follow-up, and back to the golf course, we want them to feel supported by receiving a smooth transition of care in one place, with one comprehensive program to be with them for the entire journey."

Besides patient convenience, the importance of the centralized unit is to provide specialized care, says David W. Duffner, MD, Medical Director of the Spine Program at the Institute of Clinical Orthopedics and Neurosciences. "By having a dedicated team of nurses and therapists who have specialized training in orthopedics and neurosurgery to work with the surgeons, we will be able to provide a greater level of coordinated, focused care."

Another orthopedic surgeon who will be sending patients to the new unit is Louis A. Stabile, MD. He sees a benefit to having all the orthopedic patients in one area. "When orthopedic patients are grouped together, they are encouraged when they see other patients who have had the same procedure up and walking around," Dr. Stabile says. "It creates a healthy competition between patients. It's a real positive atmosphere."

Kris Youngs, RN, Nursing Director of the Joint and Spine Pavilion, describes the overall philosophy as a wellness-based, not illness-based approach. "These patients are generally healthy. They just need relief from chronic joint or back pain to get back to their active lives."

MOST OF OUR JOINT REPLACEMENT PATIENTS ARE HOME WITHIN TWO DAYS

Unlike joint replacements of the 1980s and 1990s where patients would spend a week in the hospital and perhaps another week in a skilled nursing facility, today's patients at Desert Regional Medical Center are encouraged to get up and walk a few hours after surgery and get back to the comfort of their own home as soon as possible. In fact, 63 percent of Desert Regional Medical Center's joint replacement patents are home within two days of their surgery.

Jack Maddan, 66, of Palm Desert, a recent patient of Douglas J. Roger, MD, admits he was a little nervous about his surgery.

"My dad had hip replacement surgery in the 1980s in Northern California. It took him almost three weeks to come home," says Maddan. "And when he did, he had a walker and a cane and a big scar. The idea that I had to have this surgery made me anxious."

Contrast that with Maddan's experience at Desert Regional Medical Center this past April. "I just stayed overnight in the hospital, that was it," he says. "Compared to my dad's surgery, it was a different world. My actual incision is very small, and I've been pain free. It's almost magical. Dr. Roger and his team, the whole experience was wonderful."

PRE-OP CLASS EDUCATES PATIENTS/ALLEVIATES ANXIETY

Maddan credits the time spent with him by Dr. Roger and his physician assistant, Dave Hill, with lessening his anxiety. He also attended a pre-op class, so he knew what to expect before, during and after surgery. Twice a month, Desert Regional Medical Center hosts a pre-operative educational class for hip and knee replacement patients. Family members and caregivers are welcome to attend as well.

"We try to eliminate as many of the unknowns as possible," says Youngs. "Even learning things like medical terminology beforehand, such as 'tri-flow breathing apparatus' and 'sequential compression device,' is helpful for them. Patients who are educated about their procedure and know what to expect are better prepared. They have a better experience."

Joint and Spine Pavilion
Desert Regional Medical Center
1180 N. Indian Canyon Drive, Stes. 201 and 214
Palm Springs, CA 92262
1-760-416-4511
www.DesertRegional.com