New research led by Dr. Geoffrey Dervin builds on The Ottawa Hospital’s leadership in helping joint replacement patients recover safely at home. Dr. Dervin and his team were among the first to show that sending appropriate patients home the day of their knee replacement surgery is just as safe as spending the standard two days in hospital. Their latest study, published in International Orthopaedics, confirms this, and also looks at possible ways same-day discharge could be opened up to more people. While many knee replacement patients in their study were kept in hospital because of health conditions, a large number could not go home the same day because they did not have help at home or lived far away from a hospital. If these barriers were overcome through home care or local medical accommodations, the researchers estimate that the percentage of same-day knee replacements at The Ottawa Hospital could rise from 31 percent to 55 percent, resulting in better patient experience and lower costs.
“The Ottawa Hospital is already a national leader in helping joint replacement patients recover safely at home. We are excited by the possibility of even more patients benefiting from this program.”- Dr. Geoffrey Dervin, orthopedic surgeon and clinician investigator at The Ottawa Hospital and associate professor at the University of Ottawa.
Authors: Megan Gillis, Johanna Dobransky, Geoffrey F. Dervin
Funding: Dr. Dervin’s research is possible because of generous support from the community for research at The Ottawa Hospital. This study was also funded by The Ottawa Hospital Academic Medical Organization.
The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.
University of Ottawa: —A crossroads of cultures and ideas
The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca
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Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
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