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Bone & Joint Institute Celebrates First Birthday

January 16, 2018

The Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford Hospital celebrated its first year of operation on Jan. 9, commemorating a year filled with growth and success.

“It was a great year,” said Dr. Courtland Lewis, chief of orthopedics. “Opening a new hospital is pretty complicated and I’m proud of the entire team of more than 200 people who have persevered and put it all together.”

The Institute is growing even more than expected, with a 48 percent year-over-year growth in joint replacement surgeries. Shell spaces for two operating rooms and 12 patient rooms that were expected to open later were built early to accommodate the increased volume.

“In just six months, we had to build the rest of the space,” Dr. Lewis said. “We’ve already outgrown ourselves. That’s how busy it is around here.”

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It’s not just about the amount of patients coming through the door; quality has improved as well, with a nearly 30 point improvement in patient experience scores since the grand opening. Quality improvement has also been marked by lower surgical site infection rates, lower venous thromboembolism rates and greater percentage of patients discharged to home with home health.

“It is more than just a grand space, the Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford Hospital is everything that we envision great healthcare to be —better access to high quality care, reduced costs and a healthier community.,” said Bimal Patel, president of Hartford HealthCare’s Hartford Region. “The Institute provides the most comprehensive medical and surgical care and represents the future of the field itself.”

The Institute’s opening was the culmination of years of planning and construction. The facility is Connecticut’s only orthopedic specialty hospital and offers an immense range of surgical procedures, new technologies and amenities in one location.

“The Bone & Joint Institute is a game-changer for patients, for Hartford and for our state,” said Jeffrey Flaks, Hartford HealthCare’s president and chief operating officer. “In its first year alone, it has already transformed care as we know it, and clearly differentiates Hartford HealthCare as the destination for orthopedic care in New England and beyond.”

Learn more about the Bone & Joint Institute here.