ROGERS -- Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas has a new unit for patients recovering from spine and orthopedic surgeries.
The unit has 22 beds, including 14 for patients who typically spend one day in the hospital after a surgery such as knee replacement, according to a news release from Mercy. The other eight beds are for patients who leave the hospital the same day as their surgeries.
The unit cost about $1.8 million to complete, according to Jennifer Cook, spokeswoman for Mercy. The hospital also hired a nurse and an orthopedic service line coordinator who work at the unit.
Lindsay Kemp, the service line coordinator, said she teaches a class on joint replacement to patients and helps guide patients through the process of orthopedic surgeries, including making sure they are set up for follow-up appointments.
The unit includes a gym for patients undergoing physical therapy. The hospital had a similar gym, but the new one is larger and has more equipment, Kemp said. Mercy received a model car to put in the gym to help patients practice getting in and out of a car without hurting themselves.
The most common orthopedic surgery patients the unit sees have had knee and hip replacements. The unit sees patients who have had planned spine surgeries, rather than injury-related or emergency spine surgeries, Kemp said.
Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville also has an orthopedic and spine center for patients undergoing hip or knee replacement or spine surgery, according to Beth Wright, spokeswoman at Northwest Health. The center includes 11 beds and space for physical therapy.