This is without a doubt one of the best times of the year if you are a sports fan, especially a football fan. The Super Bowl is always special, but one particular Super Bowl sticks out in my memory: Super Bowl XXXVI, with the New England Patriots and the St. Louis Rams.
At that Super Bowl, the New England Patriots checked their egos in the locker room when they chose to be introduced on the biggest stage of sports not individually by name, college and position – but as a team. In a 2010 interview, NFL quarterback Steve Young said, "that might be the most important moment we've seen in football in the last 20 years." Was it one of Bill Belichick’s mastermind coaching strategies, or was it a team decision? Either way, it got the attention of the entire sports world!
The Patriots won that game – not by a dramatic Hail Mary touchdown pass, or an astounding interception. No! It was won by a kicker! And if the team had not done everything possible to get the ball down the field into a position where that field goal attempt was possible, this story would have a different ending. Football is a team game, and the team works together to achieve their goal: winning!
Well, this is also without a doubt one of the best times in healthcare and at Emerson Hospital! Health care practitioners at Emerson are choosing to check their ego in the parking lot and enter the hospital as part of a team. Something special happens when a team works together; all members are equal partners working towards the same goal. This is the approach Emerson has taken for years with total joint replacements, except one key member of the team was not previously included in the process from start to finish: the patient! What? Yes, we admit it – the patient was omitted. We always put the surgical, medical and safety needs of the patient first, but if we don’t include the patient in the planning process, how can we be sure we are really meeting their personal needs?
Health care is changing, and changing fast. The new focus is on the patient experience, and what better way to ensure the patient has a good experience than to include them in the process? In February, Emerson Hospital is launching patient-centered total joint education classes for those who are considering or have determined it is time to have that painful hip or knee replaced. In the Preparing for Hip Replacement and the Preparing for Knee Replacement classes, participants are encouraged to bring a friend or family member and meet some of the team members who will be providing care throughout their entire hospital stay.
You already know your top notch surgeon. You will also meet a member of the nursing team, rehabilitation, both physical therapy and occupational therapy. You will meet a member of your care management team, pharmacy and home care. Each member of the team is there to give you a virtual tour of what your joint replacement experience will be like. The goal? To bring you and a family member or friend into the team! Call it a game day strategy. The team wants to know your goals. What outcome to you expect? Do you want to be able to play with your grandchildren, play tennis – or do you simply want relief from your pain? What you want is exactly what we want for you, and the more you know about your game day experience, the better equipped we are as a team to ensure success.
When each and every team member – the patient, their family and friends, the surgeon, and the care management team – has the game plan, how can you lose?
GO TEAM!
Register online for the Preparing for Hip Replacement or the Preparing for Knee Replacement classes, or call 978-287-3777 for more information.