An educational program for total hip and knee replacement patients as part of a total arthritis center program.

An outpatient and inpatient educational program was developed to meet the medical and surgical needs of arthritis patients undergoing a total hip or knee replacement. This program is one component of a total Arthritis Center Program that includes outpatient treatment, inpatient rehabilitation, and acute medical and joint surgery. The education program consists of five standard classes: Presurgical Total Joint Replacement; What is Arthritis?; Arthritis Medications; Pain, Stress and Coping; and Discharge Total Joint Replacement. The program attempts to prevent complications, decrease anxiety, decrease hospital length of stay, decrease pain, and address the underlying arthritis by preparing patients for the surgery, postsurgery, and discharge.