PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center invites the public to learn more about three different programs at its upcoming open house. “We want our community to have the opportunity to see our amazing facility and meet the exceptional people who provide care for patients dealing with spine, joint issues, or stroke issues,” said Kristy Morgan, RN Coordinator of PeaceHealth Southwest’s spine center. Come learn more about these programs on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Spine Program
Elective surgeries, including outpatient procedures, benefit from this continuity of care approach. PeaceHealth offers pre-surgery classes so you know what to expect and how to prepare your home to make it safe and convenient upon discharge from the hospital. Morgan is the program coordinator. “We invite patients and the people who will be supporting the patient at home to take our classes. These ‘coaches’ are important to a patient’s recovery.”
“Our staff is highly specialized and come with special training for the Spine Program. Our team will be in contact with you throughout the process and we follow up when you are back home.”
They have the data to prove their success. Of patients having back surgery, 88 percent go home directly after surgery. Comparatively, that number is 79 percent regionally and 78 percent nationally.
Certified Stroke Program
Time is of the essence in stroke prevention. During a stroke, two million brain cells per minute will die. Assessment and treatment starts with the EMS personnel through a cloud-based sharing of information called Pulsara, explains Louse Jenkins, MSN, RN, Manager of the PeaceHealth Southwest Stroke Program. This tight communication shaves off precious minutes and the health care team is informed and ready when a stroke patient arrives at the hospital.
“In the ER we often use Telestroke”, says Jenkins, “a robot designed to ensure immediate availability of a neurologist to participate with the team in a neurological assessment.” The result is often earlier use of a clot-busting drug. PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center is the only medical center in southwest Washington that provides neurointervention, a treatment approach that removes blockages in brain arteries.
Joint Journey Program
Joint replacement surgery removes damaged or diseased sections of a joint and replaces them with new, man-made parts. PeaceHealth Southwest uses innovative procedures like hip resurfacing for younger, active folks and MAKOplasty, a surgical procedure for partial knee or total hip arthroplasty using a robotic arm.
Like the Spine Program, the Joint Journey Program begins with pre-op education for elective surgeries. Melissa Nath, BSN, RN and Jeff Trobaugh, RN are co-coordinators working with a patient through all settings, pre-op to returning home.
The Joint Journey program starts with a diagnosis and continues until patients return to the activities they enjoy most. At monthly Arthritis Classes, subjects like pain relief and ways to reduce inflammation are discussed and attendees have the opportunity to talk with an experienced nurse in a small group session.
If you are a candidate for surgery, you’ll have the benefit of pre-surgery Joint Journey Orientation classes to help you feel comfortable about what to expect, your time in the hospital and recovery.
“Our unit is unique,” says Nath. We send 95 percent of our patients home with their coach. Patients participate in group physical therapy classes and a luncheon with their coaches and program coordinators. Things move quickly. Patients are up and walking the day they have surgery.”
Morgan added, “We even have reunion lunches for joint and spine patients. It’s a time to talk with those who have experienced similar procedures, share recovery successes and even give feedback to the staff on how to improve programming.”
Come Learn More
The public is welcome to learn more about the above programs on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Anyone wanting to attend should come to the lobby of PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center’s Firstenburg Tower where they will be greeted and directed to the different Showcase locations. Featured locations will include the Thomas and Sandra Young Neuroscience Center, and the Joint Center’s post-operative recovery area.
“The showcase will feature three different specialties,” said Morgan. “A person with a sore back or neck may only be interested in seeing our Spine Center, meeting our spine experts, and touring our private patient rooms, whereas a person with sore knees may be more interested in learning more about our Joint Replacement program. We want everyone who visits to get exactly the information they need to help them.”
To learn more online, visit PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.
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