Kemptville District Hospital’s Total Joint Replacement Program Named a “Leading Practice in Improving Patient Access to Care” by the Ontario Hospital Association

The Hospital’s orthopaedic surgery program has been recognized for providing timely access to the highest quality hip and knee replacements

NOVEMBER 5, 2012 – The Total Joint Replacement (TJR) program at Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) has achieved Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) designation as a “Leading Practice for Improving Access to Care”. KDH is one of a handful of hospitals recognized for its leadership in improving healthcare.

KDH has emerged as an Ontario Leading Practice site as a result of designing its orthopaedic program to be both patient-centred and cost effective. In addition, with this program KDH demonstrates its organization-wide commitment to being part of the wait-time solution as well as its collaborative approach: the program was developed in partnership with the Community Care Access Centre, The Ottawa Hospital and the Champlain LHIN.

The KDH Team at HealthAchieve, left to right: Catherine Van Vliet, Colin Goodfellow, Cathy Watson, Janet York-Lowry

The KDH TJR program demonstrates the role that a small hospital can play within a regional program and within the health system itself.

KDH has been invited to participate in the 2012 Leading Practices Poster Display at HealthAchieve, the OHA’s annual conference taking place this year in Toronto November 5 to 7. One of the largest healthcare gatherings in North America, HealthAchieve attracts approximately 7,000 healthcare and business leaders from around the world. The KDH TJR program was selected from over 150 abstracts submitted by healthcare institutions across North America.

KDH’s CEO, Colin Goodfellow, and Director of Patient Services & Integration, Catherine Van Vliet, will be on hand at HealthAchieve along with Cathy Watson, Manager of Clinical Programs, and Janet York Lowry, TJR Coordinator. The team will share details with other healthcare leaders about the success of their hospital’s orthopaedic surgery program.

The TJR program at KDH commenced October 17, 2011 with the first four total primary knee replacement surgeries successfully completed. In the first four months, 95 total and hemi knee replacement surgeries were completed and in April 2012 total hip replacements were added to the program.

The TJR program has achieved a significant reduction in wait times, demonstrating the lowest wait times in the Champlain LHIN from November 2011 to January 2012. Patient testimonials indicate that patients appreciate the small hospital experience. KDH was also able to achieve a reduction in the average length of stay from the industry norm of three to five days to an average of two days.

This program aligns with the OHA Position Statement on health system restructuring proposing that small hospitals can be value added process institutions where repeatable procedures can be done efficiently, reliably and at a low cost.

About Kemptville District Hospital

Kemptville District Hospital is a fully accredited healthcare facility committed to building healthier communities. We are distinct within the provincial health system as a model of hospital-led integrated health services. We operate on two sites and provide primary care management services, acute care hospital services, advanced orthopaedic care and pride ourselves on being a good partner within the system. Kemptville Hospital consistently ranks among the top hospitals in Ontario for both patient and employee satisfaction.

For further information contact:

Jenny Read, Communications Lead

Tel: 613-258-6133 ext. 223

Email: jread@kdh.on.ca