Syndicom

ArthroplastyConnect – A New Community, A Different Experience

“Several weeks ago I started to have sharp pains in my right hip area, descending to the top of my right thigh. It made it difficult to walk without limping. At first I had trouble getting out of bed in the morning because the pain was so great. Over time, the pain has diminished at least to where I don’t fear getting up. At times it goes away, I don’t feel it when standing or walking, but it is usually just around the corner, waiting to come back. My suspicion is that the arthritis has simply spread to my hip. My sensitivity to my left knee has placed additional strain on my right leg, and on my hip especially, which has caused the arthritis degeneration to accelerate in that area.”

-Judith, Journal of experiences and experiments with arthritis

Last post, we mentioned that Syndicom will be launching our newest community – ArthroplastyConnect at AAOS conference, and we will be previewing that community over the next couple weeks. But first, we think it is important to sensitize folks to the concept of arthroplasty.

What is arthroplasty? And how can our understanding of what it means help people like Judith and others?

According to Lancaster General, arthroplasty is a surgical procedure to restore the integrity and function of a joint. Essentially, a joint can be restored by resurfacing the bones. And an artificial joint (called a prosthesis) may also be used. Furthermore, various types of arthritis may affect the joint. Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is a loss of the cartilage of cushion in a joint, and is the most common reason for arthroplasty. As a result, arthroplasty may be used when medical treatments no longer provide adequate relief from joint pain and/or disability.

People who have arthroplasty generally have substantial improvement in their joint pain, ability to perform activities, and quality of life, so these are important reasons for the procedure as well.

So why care about arthroplasty and why care that Syndicom is launching ArthroplastyConnect?

Well, with Andrew Wakesfield’s research linking autism and vaccinations being a fraud and a recent medpage report stating “programs designed to coordinate care for Medicare patients with chronic illness did not reduce hospitalizations or improve patient care, and won’t yield cost savings” — things aren’t working as many people would like them too.

But things can work differently as Dr. Abraham Verghese – in Pauline Chen’s recent New York Times post – describes during bedside clinical teaching rounds he holds every Wednesday with medical students by stating, “I renew my faith in medicine when I see these students get excited. I want them to feel the awe and privilege of being at a patient’s bedside.” Furthermore, “it’s so easy for the doctor to just slide into a room and not think,” he said. “But for the patient it is high drama and hugely symbolic. I want us to remember that all the time.”

ArthroplastyConnect focuses not on “The Best Arthroplasty Care…Anywhere.” Rather, “The Best Care of Patients Seeking Arthroplastic Practices…Anywhere.” There is a big difference between the two. Reminiscent of Judith’s story at the beginning, the primary focus on this new community is not on survival as many are, but on other goals in medicine – bodies not only suffer from arthritic pain, persons suffer. And this matters for the type of community ArthroplastyConnect becomes. After all, how we speak, interact and listen says a good deal about who we are and the attitudes we hold about what constitutes life as well as our shared, connected and rhythmic experiences of it…

Stay tuned for exciting details!

And thanks to mariandy_gizfel and cobalt123 for their images.

Carey Candrian