OUTPATIENT CARE AIDS RECOVERY

APPLETON, WI - When Pat Kester needed partial knee replacement surgery, she had a couple of options. The retired Appleton teacher could have had the procedure done at Appleton Medical Center, which would have required an overnight stay at the hospital, or she could elect to have surgery through an outpatient center. She chose the latter, because it meant she did not have to stay in the hospital, ultimately saving her some money. "I liked that I didn't have to stay at the hospital overnight," said Kester. She had her procedure done at the Orthopedic & Sports Institute of the Fox Valley in Appleton. Kester was given the option of the institute's recently launched 23-hour extended stay, which provides the patient additional on-site recovery time after surgery, though she didn't spend the night. Kester arrived on site at 5:30 a.m. and was ready to go home by 5 p.m.

Curt Kubiak, executive director of the institute, said Kester's procedure cost her about one third less than she would have paid if she had it done in a hospital.
"Patients think it's a good thing and so do the insurance companies," Kubiak said.

The institute's 23-hour care service was launched in March, said Dr. David Eggert, one of the institute's partners and surgeons. He and his colleagues spent several months studying the viability of the extended recovery option before moving forward.

"With the facility we have here, we can control every step of the patient's experience," Eggert said. "If the people love the outcomes, they will return for future procedures and will recommend us to other people."

Not all patients are eligible for the 23-hour program, Eggert said. An individual's overall health will play a role in determining whether they qualify. Those who have taken advantage of the program include patients who live outside the Fox Cities. The institute has one extended care recovery room, which has a hospital bed and other amenities including a flat-panel television with DVD player, Internet access and an iPod, which can be loaded with a patient's choice of music.

Medical personnel also are onsite the entire time a patient is there.

The 23-hour care program partners with the Heartland Home Health Care & Hospice in De Pere. Once a patient has a procedure at the institute, Heartland staff will visit the patient at home, assist them with the transition and make sure they can get around their home safely. The program provides meal service through Kitchen Helpers.

"It's Heartland's job to make sure the patient is comfortable being at home," said Tracy Beilke, a representative for Heartland.

Kester appreciated the house call from Heartland. At different times she was visited by a registered nurse and later a physical therapist.

"I was on crutches so it was great that they checked things like making sure there weren't throw rugs I could slip on," she said. "The meals also were pretty good."

On the Web:
Heartland Home Health Care & Hospice: www.hcr-manorcare.com
Orthopedic & Sports Institute of the Fox Valley: www.orthopedicandsportsinstitute.com