Will I see my doctor regularly while in the
hospital?
The attending doctors make rounds daily on
their patients whenever possible. In addition, the
orthopaedic resident doctors make rounds twice daily to
monitor your progress and make any changes required for your
care. The case manager will also meet with you (and family
members if necessary) in order to assure the proper discharge
plan for your particular case. Arrangements for transfer to a
rehabilitation floor or sub-acute floor either at the
hospital or elsewhere will be evaluated by you and the case
manager if this becomes an option.
When will I be ready for
discharge?
Depending on whether you go home or to
another facility to recuperate will play a role in when
discharge occurs. In general, a patient can be transferred to
the rehabilitation floor on the 2nd post-operative day.
Transfer to the sub-acute floor may occur on the 2nd or 3rd
post-operative day. If you are being transferred to another
facility, transfers usually occur on the 2nd or 3rd
post-operative day as well. Discharges to home occur on the
3rd to 4th post-operative day in general.
How will I know whether to go
home or to another facility for further
rehab?
In
general, if you live with someone who will be assisting you,
discharge home is the usual procedure. Arrangements for
further home or out-patient P.T. will be made by the case
manager. Most patients can go directly home if they are
deemed safe by the physician and therapists. While not
required, it is highly recommended to have someone to assist
you the first 48-72 hours after discharge on a full-time
basis and perhaps part-time the 1st WEEK or two after this.
If you live alone or are in an environment at home where your
safety is in question (i.e. PT/OT goals not met), you may be
recommended for placement in a rehabilitation center. These
facilities are usually available to a patient for a 3-5 day
stay, with emphasis on returning the patient home in a short
period after aggressively addressing any problems with
patient independence. If you live alone or are not
progressing rapidly enough in therapy sessions and it is
unlikely you will be able to do so in a rehab setting, a
sub-acute facility may be recommended for a longer period of
recuperation. The choices available are influenced by
insurances in some aspects and, therefore, will need to be
discussed by the patient, the case manager, and the insurance
companies as warranted.
In
general, if you live with someone who will be assisting you,
discharge home is the usual procedure. Arrangements for
further home or out-patient P.T. will be made by the case
manager. Most patients can go directly home if they are
deemed safe by the physician and therapists. While not
required, it is highly recommended to have someone to assist
you the first 48-72 hours after discharge on a full-time
basis and perhaps part-time the 1st WEEK or two after this.
If you live alone or are in an environment at home where your
safety is in question (i.e. PT/OT goals not met), you may be
recommended for placement in a rehabilitation center. These
facilities are usually available to a patient for a 3-5 day
stay, with emphasis on returning the patient home in a short
period after aggressively addressing any problems with
patient independence. If you live alone or are not
progressing rapidly enough in therapy sessions and it is
unlikely you will be able to do so in a rehab setting, a
sub-acute facility may be recommended for a longer period of
recuperation. The choices available are influenced by
insurances in some aspects and, therefore, will need to be
discussed by the patient, the case manager, and the insurance
companies as warranted.
