The Joint Commission Certified Total Joint Program

Written by Stan Dysart, M.D., M.B.A., and Stephen Kim, M.D., co-chairs of the Total Joint Program at WellStar Kennestone Hospital 

No one needed to tell Jerry Niemeyer about the pain and disability associated with knee arthritis. An active individual, Jerry’s knee pain had progressed to the point that by the time he finished a round of golf, he could hardly get out of the cart.

Jerry had joined one of the 46 million Americans affected by arthritis. That number is expected to grow to at least 67 million by 2030. The number of individuals undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty is expected to skyrocket as well.

The arthroplasty experience at WellStar Kennestone Hospital has mirrored this nationwide trend and necessitated the creation of a comprehensive Total Joint Replacement Program.
Designed from the ground up, the program has led to low complication rates, decreased length of stays and has enhanced the patient experience while enabling WellStar to achieve one of the highest volumes of total joint replacements in the state.

Niemeyer was a beneficiary of this program and chose to undergo bilateral knee arthroplasty and now enjoys “doing anything that has to do with being mobile.”

“Two weeks ago, I played a three hour tennis match and I could never do that prior to the surgery,” he said. “Now when I finish a round a golf, I feel as good as when I started.”

What has led us to this level of success is a comprehensive program that begins in the outpatient setting and continues throughout the entire post-operative course with adherence to evidence-based protocols.

This includes:
1) A pre-operative joint class where patients learn what to expect before, during, and after surgery.
2) Coordinated pain management with an emphasis on regional anesthesia during surgery.
3) A dedicated total joint floor with specially trained nursing and an adjacent physical therapy gym for aggressive post-operative mobilization.
4) Coordinated discharge planning to allow for smooth discharge to outpatient care with all the appropriate therapy, equipment, and medication needs after surgery.

Niemeyer was a beneficiary of that algorithm. “It was a step-by-step process and I was never in a position of wondering what was next,” he confirmed.

Recent peer reviewed literature demonstrates that total joint replacement outcomes are best when joint replacement surgery is performed at high-volume centers similar to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.  Studies have also confirmed that the impact of standardization of care is “substantial” resulting in “improved clinical outcomes and shorter length of stay.”

Practice-based protocols have certainly improved outcomes at WellStar. The continued success of The Total Joint program, however, is based upon continued feedback and review of our performance. The Total Joint committee co-chaired by Stephen Kim, M.D. and Stanley Dysart, M.D., and further facilitated by Richard Cohen, M.D. and Bruce Miner, reviews outcomes on a monthly basis and together with the Wellstar Kennestone team is committed to cutting-edge and innovative process improvements and world-class care.