USC Joint Replacement Surgery at USC University Hospital is a university-based private practice dedicated to providing patients with quality, compassionate care.

We are located on the Health Sciences Campus of the University of Southern California. Patients directly benefit from this academic affiliation, receiving access to the latest surgical techniques and technology.

In addition to offering expertise in difficult and complex surgical procedures, our specialists are involved in leading edge research projects and educational activities.

A Team Approach

Our staff members have been working together for 10 years and take a team approach to patient care. Members of this team participate in:

• Surgical evaluation and planning
• Pre-operative patient education
• Pre-operative medical evaluation
• Post-operative pain management
• Post-operative rehabilitation
• Extended care rehabilitation/management
• Follow-up care
• Financial counseling

The team is intimately aware of the anxieties and concern associated with total joint replacement or orthopaedic reconstruction for an arthritic condition. At each state of care, team members work closely with patients to help alleviate the physical and emotional stress they may be experiencing. The Patient Care Coordinator, for example, serves as a liaison between USC University Hospital and our office to ensure that the patient's hospitalization and surgery proceeds smoothly. The Patient Affairs Manager handles patient inquiries, schedules surgeries, works with insurance carriers and takes care of any concerns the patient may have.

Inpatient Services

Our surgeons perform all major surgeries at USC University Hospital, a private facility that provides the latest in technology, patient care and convenience. Our patients are admitted to a special unit, located on the medical/surgical floor. Nurses on this unit are specifically trained to care for post-operative arthritis patients.

Both surgical and internal medicine staff see patients during their hospital stay, and physical therapy is provided according to physician orders. When patients have graduated from the care need on the post-operative floor, if necessary, they will continue to receive therapy in the hospital's Rehabilitation Center.

USC University Hospital's concierge is available to provide families of patients with information on hotel or sleeping accommodation. The concierge can also help locate transportation services and recommend area restaurants. To reach the concierge, call (323) 442-8789.

Outpatient Services

Office visits for current and new patients take place on the 5th floor of Doheny Eye Institute. The Patient Affairs staff coordinates all office visits. Special office hours are held for some specific problems such as revision joint surgery, young patient (under age 45) prosthetic problems, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, patients may make appointment with individual physicians during the doctor's patient hours.

A special clinic is available for annual follow-up visits after joint surgery. These visits are necessary to evaluate the status of the joint replacement and ensure that any potential problem is recognized early.

Home Visits and Transportation

As practice dedicated to providing patients with a "personal touch, we have reintroduced the traditional concept of "house calls" with its Home Visits Program. Post-operative patients living in the Los Angeles Basin may be visited in their homes two weeks after their surgery. Patients homebound for medical reasons may also be seen at home by staff members.

In addition, we can arrange transportation for patients in the Los Angeles area who have no other means of getting to the hospital for treatment or surgery.

Close Contact with Referring Physicians

When patients are referred for evaluation and treatment, the staff maintains timely contact with referring physicians, ensuring continuity of care. Patients are returned to their personal physicians once treatment is completed.

Referring physicians are sent reports of their patient's follow-up visits and evaluations.

Commitment to Education

One of our major goals is education of physicians and the public.

Grand rounds are held for physicians, in which surgery and technique videos help teach the principles of arthritis surgery. A guest moderator is invited to each grand rounds to detail his or her experience with the problem under discussion. Residents and fellows participating on the private service attend weekly conferences to discuss past and pending surgical cases. Community surgeons are invited to attend.

We also hold public forums to discuss a variety of issues, including the causes of arthritis, prevention of complications of arthritic diseases, and the medical and surgical treatment of arthritis. Actual surgery will be shown to educate patients on the nature of the operations, and patients who have had surgery will describe their experience.

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