Selected Podcast
Temecula Valley Hospital's Total Joint Program
Jennifer Chojnacki, BSN, RN, ONC discusses Temecula Valley's Ortho program and how it differs from other hospitals.
Transcription:
Melanie Cole, MS (Host): Temecula Valley Hospital is committed to excellence in delivering orthopedic care from total hip and knee replacements, spine surgeries, foot and hand surgeries to minimally invasive lumbar decompressions and so much more. My guest today is Jennifer Chojnacki. She’s the orthopedic program manager at Temecula Valley Hospital. Jennifer, it’s a pleasure to have you with us today. Tell us a little bit about your total joint program at TVH.
Jennifer Chojnacki BSN, RN, ONC (Guest): Our total joint program here at Temecula Valley Hospital was established in fall of 2017, and we currently are certified with the Joint Commission. The joint Commission is a national organization that accredits more than 21,000 U.S. healthcare organizations and programs. The Joint Commission standards and emphasis on clinical practice guidelines help our hospital establish a consistent approach to care, which reduces the risk of error. Certification centers help manage our program in maintaining a consistently high level of quality and promotes a culture of excellence across our organization. As of January 1st, 2020, we will also be designated as a blue distinction center for Blue Shied and Blue Cross of California. This means that they have recognized our program for quality care, patient results, and expertise in delivering cost effective care in the area of total hip and knee replacements.
Host: So what are some of the special things that your team does to go above and beyond? Tell us a little bit about your team and what makes this program so unique.
Dr. Chojnacki: So we do have a pre-surgery class, and I teach this class which is offered every second and fourth Thursday of the month from three to five in the afternoon. This class not only helps the patient prepare for surgery, but they will know what to expect during their entire stay here at Temecula Valley Hospital. Patients that attend a pre-op class such as this have less anxiety and less pain and do better with their recovery. Every Wednesday, I also conduct a 30 minute lunch and learn with our total joint patients. We gather together in the fifth floor lobby area and get patients out of their room and have them socialize with other patients like themselves who have had the same surgery. I am present as well as our manager of the rehab department. Together we go over any questions about discharging home to the rehabilitation stage and recovery. We often see that patients like to share their experiences because many of our patients have actually returned for their second hip or knee replacement within about 66 to 12 months.
The other thing we that we have is a fun magnet board in the hallway. It has a racetrack scene. Patients when they walk in the hall, they're able to move their horse across the racetrack. We give them a souvenir, one of those little horses, to take home with them. We also give them a really cool souvenir shirt to take home after their surgery, and, of course, a thank you card that’s signed by the staff.
Host: That’s so great and supportive. Now when people leave the hospital, Jen, that’s sometimes when they get a little bit nervous. Tell us about 24/7 resource availability to patients to help support their recovery once they're discharged.
Dr. Chojnacki: So as the ortho program manager, I'm the liaison between the patient, the physicians, and staff. I continue to be a resource to the patient even after they discharge home. I want to support then through the recovery and answer any questions that they have once they are home. I also make sure to visit every total joint patient during their stay and on the day of discharge to ensure that they have a great experience here. In addition, I call all of the patients that are discharged home or to a skilled nursing facility to check on their progress. I want to make sure that those discharged home are seen by a home health physical therapist within two days. Those that need to go to a rehab facility do well with their therapy and reach the goal of going home as soon as possible.
Host: As you are the ortho program manager, how do you make the total joint surgeries extra special? I mean people get nervous. It’s a big surgery. Tell us some of the things that you do. You’ve mentioned the pre-surgery class and the lunch and learn and even the magnet board. What else? Tell us a little bit about support services and even how you would with the families, Jen, to get them prepared for what to expect when the patient gets home.
Dr. Chojnacki: One of the things that we do with the pre-op classes, we ask the patient to bring what’s called a care partner. A care partner can be a family, friend, or just any—perhaps even their neighbor—that they can bring that will help them, support them through recovery. They come to the pre-op class so that they have someone that’s going to support them not only during their hospital but once they get home. So that’s another piece that we do is we incorporate the idea of a care partner or a support person so that the patient is more likely to have a successful recovery and more likely be discharging home.
Host: What else would you like listeners to know about the total joint program at Temecula Valley Hospital and the expertise, your multidisciplinary team. Just give us a good wrap up Jen.
Dr. Chojnacki: We take care of all types of orthopedic patients here to include fractures and elective surgeries of the shoulder, hip, and knee. We also do foot, ankle, hand surgeries as well as spine surgeries. Our total joint program currently comprises of patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement. So if you have been diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis, severe degenerative joint disease, rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis say from repetitive motion or a previous fracture, or a vascular necrosis—which is loss of blood supply to the bone—and severe pain has interfered with your quality life and daily living, you should see an orthopedist to see if you’re a candidate for hip and knee replacement. Our website has a physician referral program, or you can contact me—the ortho program manager—for referral to a specialist. I’ll be happy to help guide you through that process as well as introduce you to the pre-op class and welcome you to the hospital.
Host: Thank you so much Jennifer. What a comprehensive caring program. Thank you, again, for joining us. To schedule an appointment, please call 951-331-2229. That wraps up this episode of TVH Healthchat with Temecula Valley Hospital. You can head on over to our website at temeculavalleyhospital.com/services/orthopedics for more information and to get connected with one of our providers. If you found this podcast informative, please share with your friends and families. Share on social media and be sure not to miss all the other interesting podcasts in our library.
Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Temecula Valley Hospital. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. Until next time, this is Melanie Cole.
Melanie Cole, MS (Host): Temecula Valley Hospital is committed to excellence in delivering orthopedic care from total hip and knee replacements, spine surgeries, foot and hand surgeries to minimally invasive lumbar decompressions and so much more. My guest today is Jennifer Chojnacki. She’s the orthopedic program manager at Temecula Valley Hospital. Jennifer, it’s a pleasure to have you with us today. Tell us a little bit about your total joint program at TVH.
Jennifer Chojnacki BSN, RN, ONC (Guest): Our total joint program here at Temecula Valley Hospital was established in fall of 2017, and we currently are certified with the Joint Commission. The joint Commission is a national organization that accredits more than 21,000 U.S. healthcare organizations and programs. The Joint Commission standards and emphasis on clinical practice guidelines help our hospital establish a consistent approach to care, which reduces the risk of error. Certification centers help manage our program in maintaining a consistently high level of quality and promotes a culture of excellence across our organization. As of January 1st, 2020, we will also be designated as a blue distinction center for Blue Shied and Blue Cross of California. This means that they have recognized our program for quality care, patient results, and expertise in delivering cost effective care in the area of total hip and knee replacements.
Host: So what are some of the special things that your team does to go above and beyond? Tell us a little bit about your team and what makes this program so unique.
Dr. Chojnacki: So we do have a pre-surgery class, and I teach this class which is offered every second and fourth Thursday of the month from three to five in the afternoon. This class not only helps the patient prepare for surgery, but they will know what to expect during their entire stay here at Temecula Valley Hospital. Patients that attend a pre-op class such as this have less anxiety and less pain and do better with their recovery. Every Wednesday, I also conduct a 30 minute lunch and learn with our total joint patients. We gather together in the fifth floor lobby area and get patients out of their room and have them socialize with other patients like themselves who have had the same surgery. I am present as well as our manager of the rehab department. Together we go over any questions about discharging home to the rehabilitation stage and recovery. We often see that patients like to share their experiences because many of our patients have actually returned for their second hip or knee replacement within about 66 to 12 months.
The other thing we that we have is a fun magnet board in the hallway. It has a racetrack scene. Patients when they walk in the hall, they're able to move their horse across the racetrack. We give them a souvenir, one of those little horses, to take home with them. We also give them a really cool souvenir shirt to take home after their surgery, and, of course, a thank you card that’s signed by the staff.
Host: That’s so great and supportive. Now when people leave the hospital, Jen, that’s sometimes when they get a little bit nervous. Tell us about 24/7 resource availability to patients to help support their recovery once they're discharged.
Dr. Chojnacki: So as the ortho program manager, I'm the liaison between the patient, the physicians, and staff. I continue to be a resource to the patient even after they discharge home. I want to support then through the recovery and answer any questions that they have once they are home. I also make sure to visit every total joint patient during their stay and on the day of discharge to ensure that they have a great experience here. In addition, I call all of the patients that are discharged home or to a skilled nursing facility to check on their progress. I want to make sure that those discharged home are seen by a home health physical therapist within two days. Those that need to go to a rehab facility do well with their therapy and reach the goal of going home as soon as possible.
Host: As you are the ortho program manager, how do you make the total joint surgeries extra special? I mean people get nervous. It’s a big surgery. Tell us some of the things that you do. You’ve mentioned the pre-surgery class and the lunch and learn and even the magnet board. What else? Tell us a little bit about support services and even how you would with the families, Jen, to get them prepared for what to expect when the patient gets home.
Dr. Chojnacki: One of the things that we do with the pre-op classes, we ask the patient to bring what’s called a care partner. A care partner can be a family, friend, or just any—perhaps even their neighbor—that they can bring that will help them, support them through recovery. They come to the pre-op class so that they have someone that’s going to support them not only during their hospital but once they get home. So that’s another piece that we do is we incorporate the idea of a care partner or a support person so that the patient is more likely to have a successful recovery and more likely be discharging home.
Host: What else would you like listeners to know about the total joint program at Temecula Valley Hospital and the expertise, your multidisciplinary team. Just give us a good wrap up Jen.
Dr. Chojnacki: We take care of all types of orthopedic patients here to include fractures and elective surgeries of the shoulder, hip, and knee. We also do foot, ankle, hand surgeries as well as spine surgeries. Our total joint program currently comprises of patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement. So if you have been diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis, severe degenerative joint disease, rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis say from repetitive motion or a previous fracture, or a vascular necrosis—which is loss of blood supply to the bone—and severe pain has interfered with your quality life and daily living, you should see an orthopedist to see if you’re a candidate for hip and knee replacement. Our website has a physician referral program, or you can contact me—the ortho program manager—for referral to a specialist. I’ll be happy to help guide you through that process as well as introduce you to the pre-op class and welcome you to the hospital.
Host: Thank you so much Jennifer. What a comprehensive caring program. Thank you, again, for joining us. To schedule an appointment, please call 951-331-2229. That wraps up this episode of TVH Healthchat with Temecula Valley Hospital. You can head on over to our website at temeculavalleyhospital.com/services/orthopedics for more information and to get connected with one of our providers. If you found this podcast informative, please share with your friends and families. Share on social media and be sure not to miss all the other interesting podcasts in our library.
Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Temecula Valley Hospital. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. Until next time, this is Melanie Cole.