Cynthia discusses her right hip (photo)

NEWS RELEASE

NORTH EAST LHIN

“Excruciating” is the word that Cynthia Wideman of North Bay uses to describe the pain she was feeling in her right hip when she climbed stairs at the end of last year.

Now, thanks to the speedy work of the North East Joint Assessment Centre (NE JAC) and placement with a first available local surgeon, she’s already back to work.

“Once they told me I had to have a hip replacement, I was totally blown away that it was done in four months,” Cynthia, 60, said last week on her second day back to work. 

She hadn’t known there was a NE JAC until her doctor’s office referred her there.

“The Joint Assessment Centre was amazing in terms of setting it all up and preparing me for what to expect. It de-stressed the whole situation. I’ve been singing their praises and telling everyone about my positive experience.”

Cynthia said a key piece of her positive experience with the NEJAC at North Bay Regional Health Centre was the professional guidance provided by Tonia Cockburn, advanced practice physiotherapist.

“I thought Tonia was amazing.”

Tonia showed Cynthia her hip x-ray and talked about surgical options, which included a discussion of wait times.

Cynthia had considered a Toronto-based surgeon, but said she learned a reduced wait could be possible if she had the surgery done locally by one of the first available orthopaedic surgeons.

Considering the positives related to recovery and check-up appointments closer to home, versus travelling to Toronto, Cynthia opted to meet a local orthopaedic surgeon.

This appointment was just two weeks later! 

Cynthia said she was really impressed in her first meeting with Dr. Aaron Van Vliet.

She said she felt so confident that she immediately signed the forms to proceed to the surgery wait list. 

In December, she got the call that her surgery was scheduled for Janury 7, 2013.

The surgery, her follow-up care, and her recovery, have all contributed to her praise.

“This whole experience has just been phenomenal,” says Cynthia.

All five North East Local Health Integration Network (NE LHIN)-funded Joint Assessment Centres   are located at hospitals in Sudbury, Timmins, North Bay, Parry Sound and Sault Ste. Marie.  

Opened over the past three years, these Joint Assessment Centers will receive enhanced funding this year because of the encouraging results.

In fact, the NE LHIN was successful in getting 174 more surgery volumes last year because of our enhanced capacity which means care closer to home for Northerners.

Comprehensive assessments are done by Advanced Practice Physiotherapists in each JAC. 

Patients, who previously waited between three and six months for an initial consult with an orthopaedic surgeon, can now be seen by the Advanced Practice Physiotherapist within two to four weeks.

“Our government has always been committed to ensuring northerners and their families have access to high quality health care services in locations that are readily accessible,” said MPP Rick Bartolucci. “Through support from the NE LHIN these Joint Assessment Centres have flourished and our government is certainly encouraged with the continued progress.”

In their short history, NE JACs have already evaluated 5,000 people suffering from hip and knee problems.

And once assessed, 64 percent of clients in 2012/2013 were determined to be better suited for other treatment, rather than surgery.

“The Northeastern Joint Assessment Centres model of care is an excellent example of an initiative  that provides Northerners with better access to care in a timely manner,” said Louise Paquette, CEO, NE LHIN.

“Additional funding for our North East Joint Assessment Centres is very welcome news for Northerners with hip or knee pain who expect and deserve quality health care – when they need it,” said Dr. Alan McLean, Primary Care Lead, NE LHIN.

Facts

People with chronic hip or knee pain are encouraged to ask their Primary Care Provider (family physician or nurse practitioner) about the North East Joint Assessment Centre (NE JAC).

The referral form can be found on the NE LHIN website.

An appointment with NE JAC will be set up within 7-14 days of receiving a referral.

NE JAC use is helping to contribute to better wait times for hip and knee replacement assessments and surgery, timely identification and management of patients who are not surgical candidates, better patient education regarding appropriate community resources, improved overall quality of care, and less need for patients to travel outside of the North East for surgery.

PHOTO CAPATION: Tonia Cockburn, right, advanced practice physiotherapist at the Joint Assessment Centre in the North Bay Regional Health Centre; and Dr. Aaron Van Vliet, left, orthopaedic surgeon; reunite with Cynthia Wideman, centre, last week. Cynthia says both individuals were key to her positive experience with the NE LHIN-funded Joint Assessment Centre.

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