by Bobby Anderson, RN, Staff Writer
When a renowned physician came to Community Hospital and wanted to bring something the metro had never seen before, T. Elaine Blackwell, MSN, RN was up for the job.
Community Hospital maintains a Center of Excellence with its Total Joint Program and Blackwell is the director.
Hips and knees are the majority of the surgical load for the first-of-its-kind program to Oklahoma.
The program got rolling in 2014 and was the brainchild of Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Paul Jacob.
Community Hospital’s Total Joint Program predates the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement program mandated by CMS in 2016.
Dr. Jacob was the driving force behind the program. The Cleveland Clinic-trained surgeon wanted the same level of excellence he had experienced during his fellowship to be available in the metro.
Jacob, Blackwell and the hospital’s administration sat down for the first meeting.
“He and I – our mentality – just kind of clicked,” she said. “The whole thing was optimize the patient before surgery, make them an active part of the team, make their family part of the team.”
“We have them for a couple days after surgery, so education has to start early for the best possible outcome.”
Blackwell drew on 23 years of ortho/neuro experience to bring the program to fruition. She moved to the metro from Tulsa to attend Southern Nazarene University master’s in nursing program.
“When I came to Community Hospital, my priority was making the program very comprehensive, from developing a care pathway to standardizing as much as possible,” Blackwell said. “Our nursing ratio is great, because we have a 4 to 1 patient to nurse ratio it’s easier to give patients more nursing care.”
The care pathway starts next door to Blackwell’s office in pre-admission testing.
It’s more than just labs.
“Our testing is based on patients medical history, medications, and activity level. When we have the opportunity to optimize the patient before surgery, they have a better recovery experience,” Blackwell said.
Patients and their caregivers go through a pre-operative class that takes them through their surgery from beginning to end.
“We give our patients multiple formats to engage with their medical team, from classes, to videos, to an online patient engagement platform,” Blackwell describes. “We have to meet the learning preference of the patient and their caregivers, so providing them with several options, we see patients of all ages being an active participant in their total joint replacement journey.”
Surgery takes place and rehabilitation begins on the day of surgery. Followup continues well beyond the time the patient leaves the hospital.
Technology has only made the program – which routinely boasts infection rates of less than one percent – even better.
The program is obviously working. Community Hospital has been awarded the designation of excellence in hip and knee replacements from multiple major insurance providers. These designations are awarded for quality outcomes, patient satisfaction and nationally recognized certifications.
Better get MAKO
Community Hospital in Oklahoma City is proud to offer MAKO Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery, the latest advancement in robotic-assisted joint replacement surgery for partial and total knee and total hip replacement surgery. This advanced technology is the latest tool in the battle against knee and hip pain.
The MAKO system provides unmatched surgical accuracy, allowing for the precise placement of implants, while surrounding tissue is undisturbed.
The robotic arm provides surgeons with a 3-D model to help prepare them for the upcoming surgery, and enables them to plan the placement of the knee or hip implants prior to surgery.
It all begins with a CT scan of the patients joint that is used to generate a 3D virtual model of unique anatomy. This virtual model is loaded into the MAKO system software and is used to create a personalized pre-operative plan.
From there, the surgeon uses the MAKO to assist in performing surgery based on the patients personalized pre-operative plan. The MAKO system also allows the surgeon to make adjustments to the plan during surgery as needed. When the surgeon prepares the bone for the implant, the MAKO system guides the surgeon within the pre-defined area and helps prevent the surgeon from moving outside the planned boundaries. This helps provide more accurate placement and alignment of the implant.
Less cutting means less healing time.
“The CT makes a map so the surgeon knows where he can take off bone, where he can spare bone so it’s not as traumatic to the bone,” Blackwell said. “Patients really like that, too.”
The MAKO procedure enables Community Hospital surgeons to reach a new level of precision using the latest technology.
BENEFITS OF MAKOPLASTY
· Quicker relief from pain
· Improved surgical outcomes
· Quicker recovery–from months to weeks
· Smaller incision, less scarring
· Reduced blood loss during surgery
· Shorter hospital stay
· A more natural-feeling joint following surgery
The outcomes are amazing for patients. They’re pretty amazing for Blackwell, too.
“They’re my patients,” she said. “I love ortho, neuro and surgery.”
“(My patients) are my friends. By the time they have surgery, and after I’ve talked to them up to six months to a year after surgery, I know their whole life history. I’m genuinely vested in their hospital experience and personal best outcome.”
FIVE STAR RATED CMS
Great opportunity to work with us with excellent benefits, including great employer matching 401K,
Tuition Reimbursement, Christmas bonus and the opportunity for quarterly bonuses!
COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
NORTHWEST SURGICAL HOSPITAL
INTEGRIS NETWORK
North Campus Positions:
· RN Director of Pre-Admission Testing, FT, M-F Days
· RN Med Surg Days, 7a-7p, FT – $5000 Sign on Bonus
· RN Pre-Admission Testing, PRN, M-F Days
· RN PACU, PRN
· Surgical Orderly, FT, M-F
· Unit Secretary, FT, 7a-7p
· MRI Tech, PRN
· Radiographer, FT and PRN, M-F
· Patient Care Tech, Med Surg, PRN, 7a-7p, 7p-7a
· Medical Asst, Pre-Admission Testing, PRN, M-F Variable Days
South Campus Positions:
· System Director of Pharmacy
· RN House Supervisor, FT 7a-7p
· RN OR Circulator, FT, M-F – $5000 Sign on Bonus
· RN PACU, FT, M-F – $5000 Sign on Bonus
· RN, Med Surg, FT, 7a-7p & 7p-7a – $5000 Sign on Bonus
· RN, ED, FT, 7p-7a – $5000 Sign on Bonus
· RN, ED, PRN, Variable Days/Nights
· Surgical Tech, FT, M-F – $1000 Sign on Bonus
· Patient Care Tech, FT, PRN, Med Surg, 7a-7p
· Patient Access Representative, PRN, 10a-2p,
M-F (some weekends)
· Patient Access Representative, ED, PRN, Every other Sunday
· Radiographer, FT, M-F 2:30p-11p – $1000 Sign on Bonus
· Radiographer, PRN, Variable Days
· MRI Tech, PRN
Northwest Surgical Hospital Positions:
· RN, PACU, FT – $5000 Sign on Bonus
· RN OR Circulator, FT, M-F Days – $5000 Sign on Bonus
· RN, Med Surg, PRN, Variable Days & Nights, 7a-7p, 7p-7a
· Paramedic, FT, Med Surg, 7p-7a, Variable nights,
$1000 Sign on Bonus
· Sterile Processing Tech, PRN, M-F Days
· Patient Care Tech, FT (7a-7p)
Apply online
CommunityHospitalOKC.com/job-postings
NWSurgicalOKC.com/job-postings
