Our Services
Joint Replacement Center
If joint pain is keeping you from participating in activities you enjoy, hip or knee replacement has the potential to restore your independence and quality of life.
The Saint Francis Joint Replacement Center gives you access to first-class care close to home. You can remain close to family and they can easily be involved in your care.
Our team of physicians and staff are committed to alleviating chronic joint pain. Whether your goal is getting back to work, getting back on the golf course, playing with your grandkids, or gardening, we understand how an aching joint can hinder your active lifestyle. We also understand how a new prosthetic hip or knee joint can restore your independence and get you back to living your life. Recovery is often quicker than you might expect. Most of our joint replacement patients are able to walk the day after surgery.
One of the greatest features of the Saint Francis Joint Replacement Center is Joint Camp — a program allowing joint replacement patients to share the experience with other “campers.” This includes everything from pre-operative education to post-operative rehabilitation. The campers encourage each other to reach goals and celebrate achievements together.
Our campers also select coaches to help them through recovery. The coach can be a friend or family member who learns about joint replacement and recovery right along with the camper. This knowledge is especially helpful once patients get home and need help with everyday activities such as getting dressed and preparing meals for the first couple of weeks.
The inpatient tower at Saint Francis Medical Center was designed to be a relaxing
environment that aids in healing. While at the Joint Replacement Center, you’ll stay in a private room that includes ample space for family and visitors. You won’t find typical hospital food either. Saint Francis offers room service with a variety of meal choices delivered to your room.
The Nebraska Room is a bright cheery space where patients participate in group physical therapy and eat meals together. Patients can have their hair washed and fixed by a stylist in the salon.
Managing your pain is always at the forefront of our care. Although we can not eliminate all pain, we do all we can to manage the discomfort so you can tolerate the activities that will get you mobile and active again.
Our anesthesia providers will discuss your options for pain management before surgery. They will listen to your expectations, and work with you to devise a plan that suits your needs.
Our anesthesiologists offer regional or general anesthesia and nerve blocks to manage postoperative pain. Saint Francis was the first in Nebraska to develop a comprehensive postoperative pain program that includes femoral nerve catheters (an “epidural” for the joint) to manage pain after total knee replacement.
We know every patient has very individual pain management needs, Patients’ pain control is closely monitored after surgery by specially trained nurses.
Before, during and after your surgery, you will have the expertise of many different members of the Joint Replacement Program team
including physicians, nurses, patient care assistants, and physical and occupational therapists who specialize in total joint care.
The Joint Camp Coordinator is a registered nurse responsible for providing personalized education to help you understand what you can expect before, during and after your surgery.
At Saint Francis, we believe in caring for the whole person -- body, mind and spirit. Pastoral care and social work services are available to patients if they wish.
Who should have joint replacement surgery?
Annually, more than 400,000 people undergo total joint replacement surgery. Primary candidates are those who have chronic joint pain from arthritis that interferes with daily activities such as walking, exercise, leisure, recreation and work. An orthopedic surgeon decides if a patient is a candidate for the
surgery based on the patient’s medical history, an exam, x-rays and response to conservative treatment. The decision to proceed with surgery will be up to the patient.
What are outcomes of total joint replacement?
Nationally, 90 to 95 percent of them achieve good to excellent results with relief of discomfort and significantly increased activity and mobility. The infection rate at Saint Francis for knee and hip replacements is well below the national rate. See our most recent outcomes data here.
How long will I be in the hospital?
Most joint replacement patients are in the hospital for three days following surgery and then go home following their discharge.