5 Ways Orthopedic Physicians Support Accelerated Healing and Rehabilitation
Nobody wants to stay in a hospital. Not only is it costly, but it also means putting your life and career on hold until you’re well enough to return home.
Patient recovery times and length of stay are two metrics hospitals and healthcare facilities closely monitor. As a patient, you want to recover and return home as soon as possible. Medical providers want the same, as shorter hospital stays enable them to conserve resources and make space for other patients.
So, how do advanced orthopedic doctors accelerate recovery times while minimizing the risk of premature patient discharge?
Let’s explore how advanced orthopedic and physical therapy practices have improved the patient experience through planning and process improvements.
The Importance Of Reducing Hospital Stay and Recovery Times
Why are healthcare providers and advanced orthopedic practices concerned about hospital length of stay and patient recovery times? Because prolonged hospital stays increase the risk of complications, such as:
- Pressure sores.
- Bone and muscle weakness.
- Digestive issues.
- Blood clots.
- Feelings of isolation, anxiety, or depression.
To reduce the risk of complications, hospitals and healthcare facilities continuously refine their policies and processes to accelerate patient recovery times and shorten stays.
Orthopedic patients, in particular, benefit from shortened hospital stays due to the nature of their treatments. Advancements in orthopedic surgery and improved recovery protocols allow patients to leave the hospital sooner and heal faster at home.
How Advanced Orthopedic Practices Reduce Patient Stay and Recovery Times
Advanced orthopedic care has evolved in recent years using strategies that have proven effective in the overall healthcare space. Let’s explore the specific tactics that promote faster healing times and reduce patient length of stays.
Comprehensive Discharge Planning
Advanced orthopedics and pain management benefit from well-structured discharge plans that ensure patient comfort and safety as they transition from the hospital to home care. In orthopedics, this involves:
- Pre-discharge education: Patients and their families are educated on wound care, mobility exercises, and medication schedules so they know what to expect and can plan accordingly.
- Post-discharge support: Follow-up appointments, home health services, and outpatient physical therapy are arranged before patients leave the hospital.
- Clear instructions: Patients receive written guidelines on pain management, mobility restrictions, and red flags to look for. By following these directions, patients keep their recovery on track and avoid complications that require hospital readmittance.
Medication and Pain Management
Pain management is an essential aspect of patient recovery, especially for those who’ve undergone orthopedic surgery. A multimodal pain management approach controls pain, minimizes reliance on opioids, and promotes faster recovery using:
- Personalized medication plans that achieve pain relief with minimal side effects.
- Minimal amounts of opioids for breakthrough pain.
- Local anesthetics and nerve blocks that control post-operative pain.
- Non-opioid analgesics such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, like ibuprofen, and acetaminophen.
Multidisciplinary Care Teams
Advanced orthopedics and pain management involves multiple specialists, including surgeons, physical therapists, and nurses. When healthcare professionals collaborate, they pool their collective experience and streamline the treatment process, allowing for faster healing and reduced hospital stays. A multidisciplinary team approach expedites recovery by:
- Using proactive treatment strategies that prevent complications.
- Implementing patient-centered recovery plans tailored to individual needs.
- Ensuring team members effectively communicate about patient care, status, and progress.
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Protocols
ERAS is a set of evidence-based guidelines that improve surgical outcomes and accelerate recovery. ERAS protocols in orthopedic surgery include:
- Preoperative patient counseling.
- Minimally invasive surgical techniques that reduce tissue damage and blood loss.
- Avoidance of preoperative carbohydrate loading.
- Reduced fasting periods before surgery to maintain metabolism and hydration.
- Early mobilization strategies that encourage movement after surgery.
A 2024 study published in Cureus, a medical journal, reported that ERAS protocols decreased hospital stays by as much as three days. The same study saw morbidity rates reduced by as much as 50%.
Preoperative Physical Therapy
Also known as “prehabilitation,” preoperative physical therapy helps patients improve physical function prior to orthopedic surgery. By conditioning the body in advance, patients are better prepared for rehabilitation and often experience shortened recovery times.
Prehabilitation includes:
- Strengthening exercises that prepare muscles for post-surgery movement.
- Range-of-motion training to reduce stiffness after surgery.
- Education on assistive devices like walkers and crutches to ensure a smoother transition post-surgery.
Science Direct reported on numerous prehabilitation studies conducted between 2010 and 2023, concluding that this variety of advanced orthopedic physical therapy reduces postoperative complications by as much as 25%.
Receiving Treatment From Advanced Orthopedic Providers Accelerates Recovery
Advanced orthopedic treatments help patients spend less time in the hospital and recover faster in the comfort of their own homes. Through comprehensive discharge planning, medication management, multidisciplinary collaboration, ERAS protocols, and prehabilitation, hospitals and orthopedic practices have optimized patient care in a way that yields fewer complications and fosters a quicker return to normal activities.