The Western Pennsylvania Hospital – Forbes Regional Campus (WPH-FR) today announced the opening of its new Joint and Spine Center, a state-of-the-art facility that offers patients access to a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals with advanced expertise in the surgical treatment and rehabilitation of joint and spine diseases. 

“This terrific new Center at Forbes Regional will help us address a critical need in our community. With the aging population, the demand for joint and spine surgery is going to continue rising exponentially in western Pennsylvania. We are now uniquely positioned in the eastern suburbs to meet the demand for these services,” said Dawn M. Gideon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Forbes Regional Campus.

The Joint and Spine Center offers patients access to an array of specialized orthopaedic care, including hip replacement, knee replacement, shoulder replacement, and spinal surgeries such as laminectomy, a procedure used to treat herniated disks or spinal stenosis; kyphoplasty: a minimally invasive procedure used to treat spinal fractures; and spinal fusion, a procedure that fuses two or more vertebrae to immobilize a section of the spine in order to reduce pain and prevent more damage.

The Center is a dedicated in-patient unit with private and semi-private rooms. A new nurses’ station helps nursing staff respond swiftly to patients’ needs. Rooms are equipped with flat-screen TVs and furniture selected specifically for the comfort and safety of those who have undergone joint or spine surgery. Each room is also equipped with freezers so patients always have cold-therapy supplies available for post-surgical swelling and for pain management.

“We are very excited about the opening of the Joint and Spine Center at Forbes. This program affords patients in eastern Allegheny County and western Westmoreland County an exceptional new resource for their joint and spine care needs,” said Michael Levine, MD, Interim Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital (WPH) and Forbes Regional Campus.

“At the Joint and Spine Center, nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and all ancillary care staff combine years of experience and expertise to improve outcomes and enhance each patient’s experience. We also currently provide all the latest, innovative techniques in joint and spine procedures.”

Center staff includes physicians, nurses, patient care assistants, physical therapists and occupational therapists. A therapy gym is housed on the unit so therapists can easily coordinate physical and occupational therapy sessions with each patient’s pain management schedule.

“This helps patients get the maximum benefit from therapy sessions in the unit gym,” said Kelly Buchinsky, RN, BSN, CRRN, the Center’s nurse manager. Center staff often will schedule gym therapy sessions so patients can support and encourage each other to reach their recovery goals, even launching friendly competitions, Ms. Buchinsky added.

The Center’s case manager and social worker also keep families involved in patients’ recovery. A “coach” is also assigned to each patient and is responsible for his or her discharge planning, including post-surgical rehabilitation.

Demand for orthopaedic surgery has grown significantly over the past several years and is expected to continue growing as the population ages. The number of knee replacements performed yearly more than doubled between 1998 and 2006, and the number of hip replacements rose about 45 percent, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. A report presented at the Academy’s 73rd annual meeting predicted that, in less than 25 years, the number of first-time total knee replacements will jump by 673 percent and that the number of first-time total hip replacements will increase by 174 percent.

The Center plans to increase its focus on spine and joint protection, osteoarthritis and home safety. Center patients are typically older adults, Ms. Buchinsky said, and as the region’s over-55 population grows, prevention will become a vital component of keeping the community healthy and independent.

The Center already offers a free one-hour class for those planning hip or knee replacement surgery, held at 1 p.m. every Wednesday at Forbes Regional, outlining procedures, pre- and post-op care and discharge planning. Participants will have a chance to ask questions and will receive an informational booklet and video. Parking is free; for more information and to register, call 1-877-284-2000.