After months of delaying most of your medical appointments due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, you may be wondering if you can finally get the joint replacement you need. St. Elizabeth Healthcare and the orthopaedic surgeons from OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine practicing at St. Elizabeth Healthcare don’t want you to continue to live in pain.
“We don’t want anyone living with pain, or having their lifestyle significantly impacted when we can help them feel better,” says Dr. Michael Greiwe, shoulder replacement surgeon with OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine who practices at St. Elizabeth Healthcare.
Delaying a replacement can also cause more damage to the joint. Arthritis deteriorates your joint, and allowing the joint to deteriorate can cause bone and tendon deformities. This not only means more pain and less function, but it could also mean a more difficult recovery from surgery.
Dr. Matthew Grunkemeyer, hip replacement surgeon with OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine who practices at St. Elizabeth Healthcare says, “Typically patients can go a few months without any downstream problems with their joint. If you decided to have the surgery before the pandemic, you are probably anxious to have the surgery and do your rehab this summer.”
Safety is a Priority at St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Dr. Greiwe says, “St. Elizabeth is taking every necessary step to ensure the safety of patients and associates. Everything from testing before procedures, screenings staff each day, and making sure we have the necessary protective equipment to provide care.”
Other safety steps St. Elizabeth Healthcare is taking to ensure your safety, include:
- COVID-19 screening for anyone entering a St. Elizabeth facility.
- Daily temperature checks for associates.
- Enhanced cleaning and additional sanitization of surfaces.
- Online and telephone pre-registration, limiting time inside the facility.
- Increased frequency of handwashing.
- Providing personal protective equipment to clinical staff and having greater than state or federal minimum guidelines dictate on hand.
- Required masks by all associates and visitors.
- Social distancing in registration and waiting areas.
Dr. Nicholas Gates, ankle replacement surgeon with OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine who practices at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, says, “The hospital is an extremely safe place to be. St. Elizabeth makes the health and wellness of their staff and patients a top priority.”
All COVID-19 positive patients are currently cared for at the St. Elizabeth Ft. Thomas facility and no joint replacement surgeries will take place at the Ft. Thomas facility.
Same-Day Procedures and Private Patient Unit
At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, we have also developed advanced techniques that allow most knee and ankle replacements to be done as same-day surgery. Hip and shoulder replacement surgery can also be done on an outpatient basis if you meet certain criteria, and your pain can be controlled after surgery.
“Many of our joint replacements are done on an outpatient basis,” says Dr. Grunkemeyer. “We have a patient stay overnight if the pain can’t be controlled or if they don’t have the assistance they need to be able to rehab the first night at home.”
The Orthopaedic Institute at St. Elizabeth ensures you access to the best team of specialists for joint replacement, including hip, knee, shoulder, and ankle.
“Joint replacement patients are all on one unit in the hospital and are separated from medical patients,” says Dr. Greiwe. “This allows us to have staff specialize in caring for total joint patients centrally located in the hospital.”
St. Elizabeth Total Joint Center: We’re Here for You
Although you may feel uncertain about many things during this pandemic, you can be certain that St. Elizabeth is here for you, providing safe, quality care.
Learn more about our joint replacement options by telling us where it hurts by using our interactive pain chart. To make an appointment with one of our joint replacement experts, please call our affiliated orthopaedic surgeons from OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine at (859) 301-BONE (2663).
