For people with chronic hip or knee pain, life’s simple tasks can become major challenges. While medication and targeted exercise may offer temporary comfort, joint replacement is often the solution that provides lasting relief and a return to an active, independent life.

Holland Hospital’s Joint Replacement Center performs over 300 knee and hip replacements each year and consistently earns high satisfaction ratings from patients. Now, in collaboration with national joint care experts and area orthopaedic specialists, the hospital is boosting the program to the next level of patient-care excellence.

“Recent enhancements position Holland Hospital as a ‘destination center’ for joint replacement,” says Kristie Dennett, joint replacement care coordinator. “We want area residents to know that Holland Hospital can be their first choice for excellent joint replacement care. There’s no need to travel any farther.”

Dennett brings 25 years of experience as a certified orthopedic nurse to her new role with the Joint Replacement Center, located on the hospital’s fifth floor. As care coordinator, she acts as a touchstone for all joint replacement patients – “to facilitate the entire process from before surgery is scheduled to their post-op care,” she says.

Comprehensive care for outstanding results
“Joint replacement is a process that encompasses much more than the surgery itself,” explains Jon Hop, MD, orthopaedic surgeon with Shoreline Orthopaedics. “It begins with patient-surgeon consultations and pre-operative patient education. After surgery, patients benefit from a comprehensive program to promote rapid recovery.”

As medical director of Holland Hospital’s Joint Replacement Center, Dr. Hop helped lead the recent program improvements. He and hospital staff worked in partnership with Marshall Steele and Associates, a national consulting firm with expertise in developing joint replacement destination centers.

Now, Holland Hospital’s program takes its place among the best in the nation, Dr. Hop asserts. Early performance comparisons among 50 similar, high-functioning joint centers across the country place Holland Hospital’s in the top five for both clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.*

Enhancing the patient experience
Enhancements to the Joint Replacement Center are designed to make each patient's care a rewarding experience. They include: 

– Free Hip & Knee Pain Seminars and Joint Replacement Classes
– Expert Joint Care Team including orthopaedic nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other joint care specialists
– Detailed Patient Guidebook
– New Equipment specially designed for patient comfort, and new tools to assist rehabilitation and track progress
– Comprehensive Joint Program including group activities, family members as “coaches,” and a friendly, supportive environment
– Private Rooms
– Home Therapy and Outpatient Rehabilitation

Learn more by attending one of Holland Hospital's free Hip & Knee Pain Seminars. For more information, contact Kristie Dennett at (616) 494-4032.

* Marshall Steele & Associates Summit 2010

Updated Dec. 2011