title: The physical therapist as a member of the home healthcare team: caring for patients with replacements.
abstract: The projected life of a total knee and total hip replacement today is approximately 15 years. Orthopedic surgeons are therefore very cautious to replace joints in patients who are young, believing that if patients receive joint replacements in their mild or early 60s, there is a good possibility they may outlive the replacement and thereby require a revision. One role of physical therapy with the postoperative replacement patient is education of the patient in precautions that should be observed and guidelines to be followed for general activities. This is very valuable information that should be shared with the patient before surgery and reinforced afterward. In the changing healthcare environment of the 1990s, home healthcare professionals are being challenged to provide effective, skilled care that is the most cost effective and appropriate for patients. It is important that all professional home healthcare personnel work as a team to accomplish these goals. The PT is an important member of this team. After an acute illness or injury, or throughout the course of a chronic illness, there are numerous times when home healthcare patients will benefit from skilled PT services. Home healthcare nurses are in a unique position to recognize the need to work with the patient's physician for referral to other members of the healthcare team.
authors.affiliation: Abington Memorial Hospital Home Care, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Candando
mesh_terms: D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D006278:Medicare; D010348:Patient Care Team; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014481:United States