We take a team approach to your care at Susquehanna Health Advanced Orthopedic Care. Your orthopedic team includes you, your coach, your surgeon, an anesthesiologist, a nurse anesthetist, your family doctor, orthopedic nurses, occupational and physical therapy staff, your case manager and social worker and chaplaincy professionals, if requested. A doctor specializing in rehabilitation medicine, called a physiatrist, may also see you.

Team members provide individualized treatment using their own unique skills. All patient treatments plans are coordinated through our daily team huddle. We also consider your family and/or caregivers to be an important part of the care program because it helps you achieve maximum independence. This additional support helps assures a smooth transition from the hospital to home.

In the weeks before your surgery, at the hospital and when you go home, you will meet many members of your healthcare team, including:

Orthopedic Surgeon

Your orthopedist is the doctor who performs the orthopedic surgery and is responsible for your overall health during your hospital stay and following your surgery.

Anesthesiologist

Your anesthesiologist is the doctor who gives anesthesia during your surgery, monitors your vital signs during and after your surgery and oversees post-surgical pain control.

Primary Care Physician/Hospitalist

Your primary care doctor, or family doctor, takes care of your general health. He or she will perform your pre-operative physical. Not all primary care physicians come to the hospital to see patients. If your primary care physician does not come to the hospital, a Hospitalist will see you. A Hospitalist is a physician who specializes in caring for patients’ medical needs while in the hospital.

Orthopedic Nurses

Before and during your hospital stay, you will meet a number of nurses who do different jobs. Some nurses attend to your daily healthcare needs in the hospital; others assist surgeons in the operating room, while others work in hospital admissions and, in some cases, visit patients at home. Nurses are among the most visible healthcare professionals in the hospital.

Physical Therapist

Your physical therapist helps you regain strength and motion. They also help with function and mobility in preparation to go home. A physical therapist works with you before, during and after your hospital stay.

Occupational Therapist

Your occupational therapist teaches you how to perform activities of daily living, such as dressing and bathing, before and during your hospital stay.

Hospital Chaplain

The hospital chaplain helps meet the spiritual needs of you and your family, regardless of religious denomination.

Case Manager

Your Case Manager is a Registered Nurse who helps identify any extra clinical needs that may occur during your hospital stay.

Social Worker

Your social worker will help you with any concerns before going home, such as: getting special equipment, home needs, setting up outpatient appointments, assisting with placement in a skilled nursing facility, if necessary, and providing emotional support for you and your coach. Your social worker can help you before your surgery if you have special concerns.