Oakwood Heritage Hospital Breaks Ground on Specialized Orthopedic Center

$31 million investment honors longstanding commitment to the community

TAYLOR, Mich., May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Oakwood Heritage Hospital (OHH) in Taylor broke ground yesterday on a $31 million expansion and renovation project to create a specialized surgical center of excellence focused on orthopedic care. The OHH Bone & Joint Institute will serve as the hub for innovative orthopedic care with a focus on joint replacement technology and clinical services.  It will also support the Wayne State University residency programs in Orthopaedic Surgery and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation housed at the OHH campus.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100521/DC08980)

"The Bone and Joint Institute represents Oakwood's continued investment and commitment in our already strong orthopedic and rehabilitation programs," said Kelly C. Smith, Chief Operating Officer, OHH. "This Institute will offer the technology and infrastructure needed to provide an unparalleled level of service and clinical expertise to our patients and the communities we serve.  We already take pride in being an excellent destination to receive care and an outstanding place for our clinical team to practice its trade.  This investment will allow us to impact more people in our community, be they patients, employees, residents or attending physicians."  

The project will occur in a series of phases throughout 2012, including:

• 12 private patient suites.
• Eight state-of-the-art operating rooms and 40 private pre and post-operative rooms.
• New, dedicated entrance to include a canopy, parking lot, common areas and registration suites for all scheduled patients and guests entering the facility.  

Orthopedic care at OHH also includes the integration of a computer navigation system in the operating rooms, a GPS-like technology that allows the surgical team to have a multi-dimensional view of a patient's joint before an incision is made with the goal of precise calculations and increased precision.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 700,000 primary total hip and knee replacements are performed in the United States each year, and the demand is expected to keep growing.

"Baby boomers are the fastest growing population for joint replacements," said Smith. "Over the next 20 years, experts predict two million joint replacements will occur and here in southeast Michigan, we expect to see a similar growth."

Oakwood Healthcare System's (OHS) total joint replacement program accounts for more than 68 percent of all total hip and knee replacements performed in greater Dearborn and western Wayne County.  OHS is the only healthcare system in Michigan to have all four of its hospitals awarded the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for its hip and knee joint replacement programs.

For more information, visit Oakwood Heritage Hospital Oakwood Heritage Hospital or The Center for Orthopedics and Neurosciences. To schedule an appointment with an orthopedic specialist, call 800-543-WELL or schedule an appointment online.

SOURCE Oakwood Healthcare System