Establishing a Successful Outpatient Joint Arthroplasty Program.

Many surgical procedures are performed in outpatient settings, and outpatient joint replacements are one of the emerging trends in orthopedics. Rising consumer demand for value-driven health care, new technology, and pain management advancements, and more physicians training in minimally invasive surgical techniques during their residency have driven this change. When a facility is considering the establishment of an outpatient joint arthroplasty program, leaders must take into consideration the outcomes data from the facility's current joint arthroplasty program. Additional factors in establishing a successful outpatient program include careful patient selection, preoperative patient education, the presence of a case manager, and specialized protocols and techniques.