BHP and picking the hospital.

[floridaguy]

I am 4 weeks out from BHP surgery.   I had my surgery done in Tampa,Florida at University Community Hospital.   The Surgeon was excellent, the surgical staff and recovery staff also get excellent marks.

It was too bad the stay for the the next 2 1/2 days in the hospital was about the worst treatment one could expect.  I travel over 150 nights a year and have become use to some things not going as planned.  However, these peoplewere like the Keystone Cops.  At the outset before the surgery they remarked at a pre op visit that they had the highest rating of the hospital.  I hope that is not the truth.  Very poor care.

I would recommend not only checking out your doctor,but make sure you check out your hospital. Once the Doctor is finished you won't see him again but the hospital stay goes on. I keep hoping I will get a survey, but I won'thold my breathe.

[hernanu]

That's too bad, the staff and facilities where I had mine done were excellent. You're right, I didn't see much of the surgeon afterwards (a few visits, but he's obviously busy), but my nurses, physical therapist, occupational therapist and other specialists were prime. The orderlies, even the lunch staff were friendly and efficient.

Well, at least the basic stuff went well, the surgery was successful and the care sufficient from the sounds of it. How do you feel now?

[dimples]

I agree!  They removed my epidural the morning after surgery & I was supposed to be hooked up to a morphine pump.  Unfortunately, no one could find the key to the pump.   A nurse had carried the key home in her pocket & the supervisor who had a back-up was in a meeting.  My pain level went through the roof as I waited for hours for the staff to locate that key.
Also, the day of surgery, they waited until I had already been given pre-op drugs before they brought in the paperwork that I had to sign. I couldn't even sit up in the bed & don't know what I signed!

[Pat Walter]

Most of the time you do get to see your surgeon several times after surgery.  Most of the top surgeons do stop to see you.  Several I know also give you their personal cell number so you can call if you have a problem.  The top surgeons normally work at the top hospitals.  It is a suggestion to not only use a surgeon that does a lot of resurfacing, but works at a hospital that also does a lot of resurfacings and THRs.  I have medical studies that show you outcome is better at the high volume hospitals that specialize in orthopedics instead of a smaller hospital that has surgoens that do a little of this and a little of that.  You can also ask your surgeon for the name of patients that you can call to ask how their hospital stay was.

When I was in Belgium for 9 days, Dr. De Smet came to see me every other day.  I stayed at the Holiday Inn.  I know some of the top US surgeons see their patients after their surgeries too.  Another question to ask - will you stop to see me several times after my surgery.

Pat

[Anniee]

I agree with Pat!  I think the best surgeons make sure the hospital and staff are good.  Everyone, including the admin staff that handled the paperwork at my hospital, were great, both before and after my surgery.  The preop staff told me how particular Dr. Gross is in regards to how things are done in preop, compared to the other orthopedic surgeons that work there.  Everything is planned down to the last detail, and everyone knows what to do.  They all like the way he works.  The same thing is true for the post-surgery stay in the hospital.  I only saw Dr. Gross once after the surgery (that I remember), but I had mine in the afternoon, and went home in the afternoon of the following day.