Alvarado Hospital in San Diego opened the Alvarado Spine & Joint Institute last week.
Here are five things to know:
1. The new facility is devoted to orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation, including spine surgery and joint replacement. The Spine & Joint Institute takes a patient experience-focused approach, including allowing patients to wear comfortable clothes instead of patient gowns.
2. The hospital partnered with Marshall Steele, MD, who developed an approach for spine and joint surgery based on the patient's and family's experience. The hospital is also focused on reducing nausea and increasing healing effectiveness while reducing recovery time.
3. The Spine & Joint Institute includes minimally invasive technology and laser procedures as well as traditional spine surgery. For joint replacement surgery, the Institute offers robotic-assisted technology and custom knee implants.
4. Focus at the center is on patient wellness and each patient has a "coach" from their family members who attends educational meetings, rehabilitation, meals and if necessary, spends the night to support the patient throughout the process.
5. Choll Kim, MD, is the co-medical director of the Spine Institute. Robin Gomez is the administrator of Alvarado Hospital.
"From the moment patients visit the orthopedist office until they attend a follow-up reunion lunch a few months post-surgery, they are undergoing a defined process that has proven to have superior results and high patient satisfaction scores," said Ms. Gomez.