Interventional Spine and Pain Management Suite Offers Patient Comfort, Privacy

Dr. Fermin Santos with spine patientLEAWOOD, Ks. — Not all patients with acute or chronic neck or back pain need surgery – and some have had surgery but need interventional procedures as part of their post-operative care plans. That’s why the comprehensive care model at Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute includes interventional spine and pain management with two board-certified, fellowship-trained physiatrists at the helm.

This month, Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute will celebrate the first anniversary of its new Interventional Spine and Pain Management Suite. The hospital has offered interventional spine procedures for years, but the services received an upgrade last spring when the ribbon was cut on a dedicated interventional spine suite, complete with six patient examination rooms and two procedure rooms.

“Most of the patients we see in the interventional spine suite have acute or long-term neck pain, back pain, sciatic pain, or compression fractures,” said C. Lan Fotopoulos, M.D., interventional physiatrist. “We also treat people who experience prolonged neck or back pain after surgery, including post-laminectomy syndrome.” Procedures most commonly performed in the Interventional Spine Suite include vertebroplasty, balloon assisted kyphoplasty, spinal cord stimulation, radiofrequency ablation and epidural injections.

The new suite provides a more private setting for patients. “It’s been really nice, and we’ve gotten great feedback from patients as well,” said Fermin Santos, M.D., interventional physiatrist. “Before, we performed interventional procedures in the hospital, so patients saw other people get wheeled back to the O.R. and come back from surgery.” Now, he says, they are away from that surgical environment, and patients find it more relaxing.

The interventional spine and pain management suite is not just for patients with neck and back pain. The physiatrists also perform procedures for certain patients with knee pain, hip pain and even headaches that have not responded to other forms of conservative treatment.

Drs. Fotopoulos and Santos coordinate care as needed with physical therapists and other providers to ensure their patients get the appropriate care. The hospital’s onsite MRI and digital X-ray often enable same-day results and diagnosis, and the doctors routinely consult with orthopedic surgeons as needed to ensure high quality outcomes.

“All our orthopedic specialists are here in the same building, so if we ever have questions or concerns, we can consult the surgeons directly to determine the best course of treatment,” said Dr. Santos, adding that their physician team at Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute includes a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon. “When necessary, we will refer patients to surgery, but our goal as interventional physiatrists is to exhaust all conservative treatment options first.”

New patients can call 913-319-7633 for an appointment. Patients with workers compensation cases and sports-related injuries are also welcome.

About Interventional Physiatry at Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute

Physiatry, also known as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, focuses on relieving pain, restoring function and improving mobility through nonsurgical treatment methods. The physiatrists of Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute are board-certified nerve, muscle and bone experts who treat a variety of painful conditions, including many sports injuries.

Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute Unveils New Brand Identity and Website

Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute Launches New WebsiteLEAWOOD, Ks. — Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute has launched its newly redesigned website. The simplified navigation and new responsive design automatically adjust content to fit on multiple devices, allowing for an improved user experience and easier access to helpful information.

“With the recent advances in technology, we saw a need to implement a more user-friendly and content-rich website that would better serve our community,” said Paul Kerens, Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute Senior Executive Officer. “Our new site makes it easier for patients and healthcare professionals to quickly access information about Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute’s providers and services when they need it.”

The refreshed homepage allows patients to request an appointment and find a physician at the click of a button. Visitors can also download pre-registration forms and access Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute career information, news updates and FAQs from their desktop, tablet or other mobile devices. In addition, the site includes direct links to Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute’s social media pages and highlights the Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute’s position as number one in the market across several categories in the areas of medical excellence, patient safety and patient satisfaction.

The new website also features a comprehensive list of Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute’s services—which include diagnostic tests and imaging, interventional spine and pain management, rehabilitation therapy, sports medicine and workers compensation care for all types of orthopedic conditions and injuries.

“Delivering excellence across the entire patient experience matters to us, and it shows in our quality rankings. We feel the new website reflects our commitment to excellence and comprehensive orthopedic care,” said Kerens.

About Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute

Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute is the only hospital in Kansas City dedicated exclusively to orthopedics. The physician-owned, acute care hospital provides comprehensive orthopedic care, including inpatient and outpatient surgery, diagnostic imaging, interventional physiatry, and physical and occupational therapy services. Since it opened in 2000, Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute – a joint venture with Saint Luke’s Health System – has served patients from all across the Kansas City metro area and throughout the United States. Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute is dedicated to serving the entire community and participates in most commercial insurance plans, as well as Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare.

Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute Recognized for Leading Quality Healthcare in Orthopedics

Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute, Leawood, KS

Leawood, Kan. – August 25, 2015 – Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute recently received an Excellence through Insight® award for Overall Inpatient Experience. The award from HealthStream, a national healthcare research solutions company, comes in addition to Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute earning the highest possible ranking – a five-star rating – from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) earlier this year. These two highly coveted honors set Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute apart from other area hospitals as a leader in quality orthopedic care.

“At Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute, we are very committed to patient care excellence,” says Charles E. Rhoades, M.D., CEO of Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute. “It’s nice to be recognized nationwide for that, but it’s even more heartwarming to know our patients love their care and receive high quality outcomes here.”

Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute earned the Excellence through Insight award for exceptional performance in the small hospital category. All hospitals that used HealthStream to track patient satisfaction in 2014 were considered for the award, but only those scoring in the 75th percentile or higher for patient satisfaction after surveying at least 100 patients earned national recognition. Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute exceeded industry standards and received some of HealthStream’s highest rankings for satisfaction among hospitals its size.

CMS’s Hospital Compare system is based on data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (HCAHPS). The rating system is designed to help patients make informed choices about healthcare.

CMS rates hospitals on measures such as nurse and doctor communication, responsiveness of hospital staff, pain management, communication regarding medicines and discharge, care transition, cleanliness and quietness of hospital environment, and willingness to recommend the hospital. For scoring purposes, CMS reviews a minimum of 100 completed surveys from hospital patients over a 12-month period. The rankings range from one star to five stars, with more stars indicating higher quality care.

About Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute

Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute is a physician-owned specialty hospital focused on orthopedics. Since 2000, the hospital has provided comprehensive orthopedic care, including inpatient and outpatient surgery, diagnostic imaging and MRI, pain management, and inpatient and outpatient physical therapy. Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute is a joint venture with Saint Luke’s Health System and the only hospital in Kansas City dedicated exclusively to orthopedics, drawing patients from the Kansas City metro area and throughout the United States. Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute serves the entire community and participates in most commercial insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare.

Media Contact: Paul Kerens
Senior Executive Officer
pkerens@kcoi.com
(913) 319-7575