Dr. James Phillips and Dr. Louis Bley
On Wednesday, June 14, Atrius Health doctors performed the first-ever total joint replacement surgery to occur in a Massachusetts free-standing ambulatory surgery center.
The procedure, a knee replacement, was conducted by Dr. James Phillips and assisted by Dr. Louis Bley at Boston Out-Patient Surgical Suites in Waltham, which enabled the patient to return to her home later in the day and recover with ongoing support from a dedicated team of home healthcare nurses and physical therapists.
“This convenient alternative to the hospital is the culmination of hard work and close collaboration with our home health subsidiary VNA Care to develop protocols for our surgeons and assessments that identify patients who will benefit from surgery in an ambulatory setting,” said Dr. Louis Bley, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Atrius Health. “We are grateful to our partners at Boston Out-Patient Surgical Suites and look forward to providing more coordinated, high-quality care that serves patients at every step leading up to surgery and throughout their recovery.”
The knee replacement procedure performed at Boston Out-Patient Surgical Suites is virtually identical to those performed in a hospital. However, instead of the traditional several-day hospital stay, patients recover in the comfort of their homes.
“We are excited to offer our patients the chance for a ‘less disruptive’ recovery,” according to Greg DeConciliis, PA, Administrator of Boston Out-Patient Surgical Suites and President of the Massachusetts Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers. “Our personalized clinical pathways allow us to customize care to the unique needs of each patient. And our carefully vetted team of healthcare professionals provides the support patients need to recover comfortably in their home.”
Free-standing surgery centers provide patients the same quality care as hospitals, but offer significant cost savings. Knee replacements in the Boston area typically range from $25,000-35,000 in inpatient facilities, whereas free-standing outpatient surgery centers typically provide these procedures at an expected 40 to 50 percent reduction in cost. All three of Boston’s local commercial insurers have approved payments for patients participating in this program at Boston Out-Patient Surgical Suites.
“Our charges are significantly lower than those of a hospital, which translates for most patients to a significantly lower co-payment and overall cost of care. In the era of high deductible healthcare, patients need high quality care at a more affordable price,” DeConciliis added.
Outpatient total joint replacements are performed regularly in many parts of the country, and in addition to cost savings typically result in higher overall patient satisfaction. According to CDC-NHSN data, patients also experience lower rates of infection after outpatient surgery as opposed to the inpatient setting.
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