From unique patient gowns to sophisticated gait analyses, the $200 million Hartford HealthCare Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford Hospital showcased the future of orthopedic care when the facility opened its doors to patients on Jan. 9.
A press conference marked the opening of Connecticut’s first and only dedicated orthopedic hospital, which includes everything patients need — from preventive care to the latest treatments, rehabilitation, education and much more – in one convenient and modern location.
For Hartford HealthCare Chief Executive Officer Elliot Joseph, the moment didn’t just culminate years of planning and construction – it struck a personal note as he recently had hip-replacement surgery.
Joseph said that while he wished the Bone & Joint Institute was open when he had his surgery, he received incredible care from staff and is on track to walk down the aisle at his daughter’s wedding.
“The Bone & Joint Institute is dedicated to improving quality of life and returning people like me to the joys of living, and the celebrations of life,” said Joseph, who added that the project has proven to be an economic driver, creating more than 1,100 jobs during the construction phase and helping to highlight healthcare’s ongoing role in revitalizing Hartford and the entire state.
“This is a world-class facility and program that exists right here, and you won’t find anything like it anywhere else in New England,” he said.
Bone & Joint Institute Physician and Chief Courtland Lewis agreed.
“It is a true differentiator,” Dr. Lewis said, adding that the first several patients were already successfully operated on and in the recovery room before noon.
The institute was designed with patients’ diverse needs in mind — from those who need emergency or complex orthopedic surgeries that can’t be performed elsewhere to baby boomers seeking quality of life, seasoned athletes looking for an added advantage and weekend warriors wanting relief from nagging injuries. It coordinates all aspects of musculoskeletal care, from prevention to surgery, recovery and beyond.
Two Parts That Work Together
The facility, with orthopedic design themes inside and out, has two distinct parts. The 130,000-square-foot hospital features an inpatient building with 48 private inpatients rooms, with capacity to expand to 60; eight operating rooms; outpatient rehabilitation and wellness areas; easy access to diagnostic and other services.
Connected via a skywalk is a 75,000-square-foot outpatient surgery center and medical facility with three outpatient surgery rooms; offices for orthopedics, rheumatology and musculoskeletal specialty care; and an auditorium for conferences that can double as a classroom with live surgical procedures and learning opportunities for staff.
The center has been designed to include unique spaces for physical rehabilitation, training and education; a state-of-the-art motion lab; a healthy eating demonstration kitchen; and meeting space to accommodate a wide range of support groups and community education offerings aimed at helping keep people healthy before, during and after surgery.
Technology As A Tool In Healing
Besides providing traditional, emergency and complex surgeries, the institute offers osteoporosis screenings, a fracture prevention clinic, healthy cooking demonstrations and integrative medicine services such as reiki and massage that help decrease anxiety, reduce pain and accelerate healing.
The center has highly specialized equipment rarely found in one facility, aimed at detecting issues, preventing injuries and speeding recovery:
A zero-gravity treadmill allows patients to begin rehab sooner, even when they cannot bear weight on joints.
A sophisticated motion analysis lab allows specialists to detect even the smallest of irregularities with movement, preventing problems from worsening. The lab also uses computer-guided analytics to provide balance assessment; and, for athletes, analyses of golf swings, running gait and efficiency, basketball jumping ability or baseball pitching mechanics.
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The center has been designed to enable patients to feel like guests, and to provide individualized, coordinated care. Every step of the patient’s journey has been carefully considered, from easy valet parking and world-class rehabilitation facilities to wellness education — even a car transfer simulator that helps patients feel confident that they can get around after they get home.
From its architecturally stunning building and experienced doctors to patient-friendly rooms and meals on demand, the Bone & Joint Institute integrates all elements of orthopedics and musculoskeletal treatment in one location, including specialty care, diagnostics, rehabilitation, sports medicine, rheumatology, health and wellness and pain management.
Advancing Health And The Economy
The Institute was constructed on vacant land on Seymour Street and connects directly to Hartford Hospital’s main building.
This institute is the first specialty hospital to be built in Connecticut in decades, and a major project for downtown Hartford. Hartford HealthCare is joining the ranks of a handful of health organizations across the United States that have created an integrated musculoskeletal hospital, fully staffed with the necessary sub-specialists to provide comprehensive care.
Hartford Hospital is partnering with Orthopedic Associates of Hartford to oversee the Institute. Orthopedic Associates, with 30 fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons, is the largest orthopedic group in the region.
The Future Of Orthopedics
“The Bone & Joint Institute is special,” Dr. Lewis said. “Not only does it enable us to provide the most comprehensive medical and surgical care, but the institute also represents the future of the field itself. It is more than just a grand space. It is people. It is expertise. It is staff coming together to provide that expertise for the good of our patients. It is innovation. The Institute is everything that we envision great healthcare to be — for physicians, support staff and, most importantly, our patients.”
Learn more here.