Learn more about
joint replacement from our patients, physicians,
and staff.

How will I know it’s time
for joint replacement?

What makes this
place special?

What therapy
will I need after surgery?

How will I manage
pain after surgery?

The Patient’s Perspective

Our team approach to care makes Sauk Prairie Memorial's Joint Replacement Center unique. By incorporating family involvement and group support, patients are encouraged and motivated in their recovery. This dedicated center within our hospital includes 16 newly remodeled rooms as well as a group therapy room, making for a comfortable, healing environment where patients can focus on getting back on their feet.

How do we measure quality?

• Decreased Length of Stay:  Total joint replacement patients at SPMHC have a shorter hospital stay than the average stay for the same procedure at other Wisconsin hospitals.  (Total knee replacement = 13% shorter, Total hip replacement = 16% shorter).
• Patient Recommendations:  9 out of 10 patients say they would “Definitely” recommend the SPMHC Joint Replacement Program to others.
• Improved Flexibility:  SPMHC patients’ flexion (ability to bend their knee) improved by 7 degrees (8%) and extension (ability to straighten their knee) improved by 4 degrees (67%) since the program’s inception.
• Increased Walking Distance:  SPMHC’s program encourages patients to get moving during their hospital stay.  Patients walk more than twice as far as patients did prior to the program’s inception.
• Post-surgical Pain/Difficulty:  Nearly 9 out of 10 patients report little or no pain (89%) with daily activities and little or no difficulty (86%) doing these daily activities as reported to their physician one year after surgery.

See Graphs

Features of our Joint Replacement Center include:

• Nurses, therapists and certified nursing assistants who specialize in the care of joint patients
• Private rooms
• Emphasis on group activities as well as individual care
• Family and friends educated to participate as “coaches” in the recovery process
• Group meals with your coach and staff
• A Joint Care Coordinator who assists with coordinating all preoperative care and discharge planning
• A comprehensive patient guide for you to follow from six weeks pre-op until three months post-op and beyond
• Coordinated after-care program
• Reunion luncheons for former patients and coaches
• Daily newsletters, during your hospitalization to keep you informed of the activities in the Joint Replacement Center