Orthopedic Center Celebrates its First Anniversary

With more than 8,000 people choosing Lancaster General for their orthopedic procedures in the past year, and with patient satisfaction scores reaching all-time highs, the first year at the Orthopedic Center was a huge success.

But even as we celebrate our first anniversary, plans are underway to expand facilities and services, ensuring that Lancaster County residents have access to outstanding service and state-of-the-art technology.

“It has been the collaborative effort of every team member in the Lancaster General system that has made this first year such a success,” says Stacey Youcis, Assistant Vice President of Musculoskeletal & Surgical Services at LGH.

The development of a total joint replacement program was one of the key advances at the Orthopedic Center.

Working with the Visiting Nurse Association, the Orthopedic Center provides home visits and pre-surgical consultations to help patients feel more comfortable with their joint replacement surgery and to assess their homes to make sure they return to an environment that will promote a safer recovery.

The virtual tour

The Orthopedic Center also developed a virtual tour of the facilities, highlighting the variety of services and amenities for patients. It can be viewed on DVD or video tape, or at www.LancasterGeneral.org/OrthopedicCenter.

“The goal was to walk the patient from the parking lot to discharge and show them what they’ll see and experience during their stay,” Youcis says.

The video was designed to familiarize patients with their environment, make them more comfortable with the surroundings and minimize surprises and confusion upon arrival. It also gives people a chance to view the facility before committing to a specific orthopedic center.

“Many times when people find out they need surgery, they have limited information about where they should have it done,” Youcis says. “The virtual tour is one tool they can use to help them make an informed decision when discussing options with their doctor.”

Continuing to grow

To build on this first year of success, the Orthopedic Center will open an additional orthopedic operating room this year, making a total of eight, add to its 42 private patient rooms, improve the technology and equipment at the surgical center, and focus on lifetime management of muscles and bones.
“We want to do more than just fix a fracture,” Youcis says. “We want to encourage things like bone density screenings and work to improve diagnosis of conditions that contribute to musculoskeletal disease, such as osteoporosis.”