Outpatient Joint Replacement: Practical Guidelines for Your Program Based on Evidence, Success, and Failures.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Joint arthroplasty is increasingly performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).
• This trend is driven by enhanced recovery protocols, multimodal pain management, and value-based payment models.
• More than half of total joint replacements are projected to be outpatient by 2026.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline key considerations for successfully transitioning joint arthroplasty procedures to ASCs.
• To highlight the advantages and challenges associated with this healthcare shift.
• To enable surgeons to maintain high-quality patient experiences and optimal outcomes in ASCs.

Main Methods:

• Review of current trends and practices in joint arthroplasty performed in ASCs.
• Identification of critical factors for successful transition.
• Emphasis on patient selection, preparation, and protocol optimization.

Main Results:

• ASCs offer opportunities to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes while reducing costs.
• Successful transition necessitates enhanced presurgery preparation for surgeons and patients.
• Protocol optimization through data tracking and iterative refinement is crucial.

Conclusions:

• Performing joint arthroplasty in ASCs requires a clear understanding of differences from hospital outpatient settings.
• Careful patient selection and preparation are paramount for success.
• Optimized protocols and a focus on patient experience are key to delivering optimum outcomes.