Orthopedic Associates of Hartford (OAH), based in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, is aiming to revolutionize the patient experience. The 45,000 square foot facility, which will open its doors on January 7, 2019, features 25+ rooms for doctors to see patients and a full-service physical therapy center.
“The future of orthopedics is moving surgeries to outpatient venues,” explains Pietro A. Memmo, M.D., assistant director of the Orthopedic Associates Surgical Center.
Dr. Memmo, along with Dr. Andrew Caputo, are co-owner project managers of the new surgical center and have been overseeing all aspects of the center from design through completion. Dr. Memmo points out that “Research, patient satisfaction, and our experience shows that outpatient surgeries are more cost effective for patients, with much lower infection rates and superior outcomes. That is why we have made the significant investment of approximately $30 million to build a center that is truly unparalleled in the Northeast.”
Asked about the planning process, Dr. Memmo told OTW, “Andrew Caputo, M.D. and I have been overseeing all aspects of the facility’s development and received input from fellow partners, our nursing staff and administrators, and our patients.”
“The success of our original surgical center for over 15 years provided a wealth of knowledge to help create a state-of-the-art surgical center where patients will choose to come, physicians will want to operate, and our staff will want to work. They then coordinated directly, often on a daily basis, with the architect, construction manager, our surgical center administrators, and onsite project manager.”
“Whether it was the selection of the masonry stone, the design choices of the outdoor courtyard, soothing fabric schemes for the furniture, or the OR technologies, Dr. Caputo and I were there to make decisions that were representative of our fellow partners.”
Dr. Caputo pointed out that, “Our facility was designed with strong emphasis on employees. Our employees, nurses, and dedicated staff are the heart of what we do. We want them to be in a beautiful setting that is designed to make their jobs easier and is also designed to optimize patient workflow and surgical outcomes.”
“It was also designed with the patient experience in mind. The surgical center is on one floor, so there are no stairs or elevators. The drop-off and pick-up areas have covered entrances to protect against snow and rain. The elegant lobby is more of a family lounge, equipped with large screen televisions, a snack bar, and a patient monitoring system so family members can track the status and progress of the patient’s surgery. A physical therapy area is placed right in the post-operative care unit so therapy can begin immediately after surgery, directly in the recovery area.”
“The ORs are fitted with ConMed surgical camera systems with two floating 32-inch monitors and one 75-inch Sony 4K monitor; video integration will allow surgeons to view live video while simultaneously viewing MRIs and X-rays from multiple sources; wireless connectivity will allow for a seamless interface of data, images, and video with electronic medical records; the ORs are equipped for live HD video and audio streaming for viewing and recording for educational and training purposes. Robotic surgery will allow for more precise and safer surgeries.”
