HSS Urgent Ortho Care Opens in NYC, Long Island, NJ and CT

Alternative to Hospital Emergency Room Offers Expert Care for Orthopedic Injury

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Apr 08, 2020, 08:00 ET

NEW YORK, April 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) has opened four urgent care centers for serious orthopedic injuries that require prompt medical attention. HSS Urgent Ortho Care has two locations on Manhattan's Upper East Side; one on Long Island in central Nassau County; one in Stamford, Connecticut; and one in Paramus, New Jersey.

As a specialty hospital dedicated to musculoskeletal care, HSS has the expertise and resources to provide urgent orthopedic care at the new centers, including x-ray and MRI imaging to diagnose injuries. "Right now, hospital emergency rooms need to focus their resources and medical personnel on the current health crisis and the influx of patients with COVID-19. As experts in orthopedic care, we can help take some of the load off overwhelmed hospitals by treating orthopedic injuries that would otherwise require a trip to an emergency room," said Louis A. Shapiro, HSS president and CEO.

Mr. Shapiro anticipates that residents of New York City, Long Island and Connecticut will take advantage of the specialized care that the centers provide. "Orthopedic injuries, such as sprains, strains and broken bones, are among the most common reasons people go to a hospital emergency room," he notes. "During these trying times, HSS Urgent Ortho Care provides an alternative to enable people to have their injury evaluated at a facility specializing in orthopedics."

HSS Urgent Ortho Care has instituted extensive precautions to ensure that patients, visitors and staff remain safe during the coronavirus outbreak. In the interest of ensuring everyone's safety, patient walk-ins are not permitted. Anyone wishing to be seen at the center must first call to make an appointment. This will allow for a preliminary COVID-19 screening and an initial injury assessment. Upon arrival, patients will have their temperature taken and will be asked about recent travel, any symptoms of illness and exposure to others with diagnosed or possible COVID-19 symptoms. HSS Urgent Ortho Care sites have implemented additional prevention policies, including proper social distancing measures, and staff have the required personal protective equipment.

Individuals will see a doctor specializing in orthopedic care or sports medicine and will have access to diagnostic imaging, including MRI. If a patient needs orthopedic surgery, he or she will be given the option of having the procedure at Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. The hospital continues to provide essential care for patients, and that includes surgery.

"HSS Urgent Ortho Care is available to people with an acute injury or orthopedic issue that needs to be evaluated promptly for the proper diagnosis and treatment, and to avoid a bigger problem later," said John DiFiori, MD, chief of Primary Sports Medicine at HSS. "Under the current circumstances, the centers offer essential care for a new injury or orthopedic issue. If an individual has a longstanding or chronic problem, we offer telehealth consultations."

Dr. DiFiori says signs that one should seek prompt medical attention include a recent injury that results in the inability to bear weight; the inability to move, bend or straighten an arm, leg or other part of the musculoskeletal system; and severe swelling.

Examples of injuries the center's specialists treat include:

A painful bone, tendon, muscle or joint injury that has occurred within the past few days.
A possible fracture. However, if the bone has broken through the skin, one should go directly to an emergency room.
An acute, recent injury or recent severe pain of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle or foot.
Acute, severe pain in the neck or back that makes it difficult to move.
Recent onset of severe muscle or bone pain that one had not experienced before.
Recent onset of swollen joints.

HSS Urgent Ortho Care locations are open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. Anyone who would like to make an appointment can call 833.HSS.7100 (833.477.7100).

For more information, visit: https://www.hss.edu/urgent-orthopedic-care.asp

About HSS | Hospital for Special Surgery

HSS is the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the tenth consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2019-2020), and named a leader in pediatric orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report "Best Children's Hospitals" list (2019-2020). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has one of the lowest infection rates in the country and was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center four consecutive times. The global standard total knee replacement was developed at HSS in 1969. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State as well as in Florida. In 2018, HSS provided care to 139,000 patients and performed more than 32,000 surgical procedures, and people from all 50 U.S. states and 80 countries travelled to receive care at HSS. There were more than 37,000 pediatric visits to the HSS Lerner Children's Pavilion for treatment by a team of interdisciplinary experts. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. The HSS Global Innovation Institute was formed in 2016 to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is the world's leading provider of education on musculoskeletal health, with its online learning platform offering more than 600 courses to more than 21,000 medical professional members worldwide. Through HSS Global Ventures, the institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.

SOURCE Hospital for Special Surgery