Categories: ILH

Inova Loudoun Hospital’s Total Joint Replacement program was designated a Center of Excellence for knee and hip replacement

A Joint Endeavor

Comprehensive orthopedic services treat range of conditions

Like the community that surrounds it, Inova Loudoun Hospital’s orthopedic services are constantly developing and improving.

“Our patients are educated and demanding, and we need to fill that demand for services and high-quality care,” says Nauman Akhtar, MD, MBA, joint replacement surgeon, Inova Loudoun Hospital.

Inova offers a full range of orthopedic services, including fracture care, spine care, foot and ankle surgery, sports medicine and total joint replacement.

Recently, Inova Loudoun Hospital’s Total Joint Replacement program was designated a Center of Excellence for knee and hip replacement by The Joint Commission. According to Dr. Akhtar, earning this Gold Seal of Approval was no easy feat.

“It’s based on going through our entire workflow of joint replacement,” he says. “They consider our pre-op education, the types of surgeries that we do and how many we do, and what our outcomes are in terms of complications, readmission rates, infections, et cetera. It’s definitely a badge of honor.”

Managing Pain and Expectations

Dr. Akhtar and his team of surgeons and physical therapists believe that improving joint replacement patient outcomes starts before surgery even begins. A lot of that has to do with controlling peoples’ expectations regarding pain, Dr. Akhtar says.

“We educate patients about what is good pain and what is pain you can work through,” he explains. “I’m not going to tell you this is a pain-free process.”

Inpatient physical therapy takes place at Inova Loudoun’s on-site gym. Patients work in groups to support each other’s progress, which Dr. Akhtar says helps motivate them.

Outpatient rehabilitation focuses on home therapy — going up and down stairs, getting in and out of bed and other activities of daily living. It then progresses to gentle strength training to rebuild muscle.