The pastors joked that at least this week the parishioners made the hospital visits a little bit easier. On Tuesdays when the two pastors make their hospital visits, they typically have to divide and conquer. With parishioners in several different hospitals in the large city, the two pastors want to make sure that they visit everyone, but this is not always possible unless they divide the list.
This week, however, the pastors had three patients to visit in the same hospital. With hip and knee replacement surgeries, it was really not surprising that these patients all ended up at the leading orthopaedic clinic in the hospital. The fact that they did, though, means that on this Tuesday both pastors will make their hospital visits together and can spend some real quality time with both the patients and their families. Time that otherwise would have been spend driving between different hospitals can instead by spent with the parishioners who are most in need this week.
Orthopaedic Surgery Is an Increasingly Popular for Aging Patients Who Want to Stay Active
Whether you are looking at a hip or knee replacement, or you are looking at a shoulder replacement surgery, a combination of a great orthopaedic surgeon and a detailed occupational and physical therapy regime can help you get back to normal activity as soon as possible. In many cases, in fact, both occupational and physical therapists wills be in contact with their patients even before the patient leaves the hospital.
Consider some of these facts and figures about shoulder replacement surgery and other surgeries that many Americans have:
- 4.7 million Americans were living with an artificial knee in the year 2014, according to research presented to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
- 2.5 million Americans were living with an artificial hip in the year 2014, according to research presented to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
- Accounting for more than $1 billion in Medicare spendings of 2016, Medicare approved payments for 3.04 million orthotic procedures that year.
- One in seven Americans now has an orthopedic impairment, some of which are the result of a shoulder replacement surgery, as the U.S. population ages.
- The number of Americans ages 65 and older will double from 46 million in the year 2016 to more than 98 million by the year 2060.
- When physical therapy is used as a first management strategy, patients faced 72% fewer costs over the first year of treatment, according to a Health Services Research journal study.
No matter what kind of rehabilitative surgery you have scheduled, it should come as no surprise that you will need to rely on a great surgeon and excellent physical and occupational therapists. Throwing in the thoughtful prayers and well wishes of a couple of pastors will not hurt either!
