Campbell Clinic Touts Benefits of Outpatient Hip Replacement Surgery; Medicare to Begin Reimbursement in January

Effective January 1, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) will begin to reimburse Total Hip Arthroplasty or Total Hip Replacement in an outpatient setting when appropriate. Campbell Clinic’s Dr. James Guyton notes that there are several benefits to performing such a surgery in an outpatient setting, including lower infection rate; decreased pain after surgery; faster, more aggressive physical therapy; and the ability to recover at home.
 
Generally speaking, the less time patients spend in the hospital, the less likely they are to get a post-surgical infection. “There are bacteria that exist in chronic patient care facilities,” Dr. Guyton says. “I like to get them out of the inpatient environment that could expose them to the possibility of those infections after surgery.” 
 
When it comes to pain management, outpatient surgery offers a wide variety of benefits. Patients receive a spinal injection that numbs them from the waist down with a long-lasting local anesthetic that will help control pain for up to two days after the operation. Patients are able to get up and walk on the day of surgery with minimal pain.
 
In terms of physical therapy, Campbell Clinic has physical therapists on site that begin working with patients the day of surgery. They bring the walker to the bedside and get patients up and walking within two hours following surgery. All joint replacement patients must attend a pre-operative class that provides them with information on what to expect during surgery, how to care for your new joint, and physical therapy exercises to do at home.

As opposed to an overnight stay in a hospital, outpatient hip replacement patients get to recuperate in the comfort of their own homes. They have proven to progress better in a familiar environment where they are more likely to get a good night’s sleep.  It is necessary that the patient has an adequate support system at home, as they may experience difficulties if they are left by themselves for the first week after surgery. 

Plus, patients get the expertise of the Campbell Clinic, the Mid-South’s oldest orthopaedic and sports medicine practice, treating patients since 1909.
 
"At Campbell Clinic, we have the largest team of subspecialty trained expert hip and knee joint replacement surgeons in the Mid-South," says Dr. Guyton. "Our surgeons’ experience and sub-specialized focus areas allow us to combine innovative technology with proven principles to give patients a greater chance for a successful outcome."

About Campbell Clinic:
Founded in 1909, Campbell Clinic serves as a national leader in orthopaedics, sports medicine, teaching and research in orthopaedic surgery. With locations in Germantown, Collierville, Cordova, Midtown and Southaven, Campbell Clinic also operates an After Hours Clinic, which is open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday (Germantown and Southaven locations) and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. (Germantown location only). All locations offer scheduled appointments between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and patients with acute injuries may walk in without an appointment on weekdays until 4 p.m. For more information on Campbell Clinic, call 901.759.3100 or visit www.campbellclinic.com.