Perioperative Medicine Division
Perioperative medicine is a newly emerging field of medicine that focuses on optimizing the health of patients who are planning to undergo surgery and providing medical care for those patients following surgery. As part of an institution-wide commitment to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgical patients, the Perioperative Medicine Division was created within the HSS Department of Medicine.
The Division has responded to the extraordinary growth in orthopedic surgery procedures at HSS by establishing a coordinated approach to individualized assessment of surgical patients. Medical conditions that require optimization are identified prior to surgery by our team of internists who collaborate with our surgeon colleagues, cardiologists and anesthesiologists to assure an optimal outcome of surgery. The goal of the Division is to focus on patient care, education, and research.
Physicians in the Division of Perioperative Medicine oversee a teaching program in which daily meetings are held with house officers (doctors in the residency stage of their training), nurses, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who share information about patient care. These meetings, also called teaching rounds provide a forum for all participants to ask questions and learn how to provide consistent, high quality care to their HSS patients.
In addition to these members of the perioperative medical team, during their hospitalization patients at HSS may also receive care from other medical professionals including consulting physicians in specialties including anesthesiology, cardiology, pulmonology, endocrinology and neurology, as well as respiratory and physical therapists.
Perioperative Medicine Staff
Pediatric Perioperative Medicine Physicians
Patient Care
The Perioperative Medicine Division at HSS evaluates every patient scheduled for surgery and creates an individualized “Risk Assessment” plan based on his or her health issues. A comprehensive plan is then constructed to optimize the health of the patient before, during, and after surgery including a safe and smooth discharge from the hospital. Guidelines have been developed to ensure all physicians have access to up to date information on patient care recommendations.
Understanding Perioperative Care
The focus of perioperative care involves a patient’s medical readiness and comfort, as well as the coordination and quality of his or her care before and after surgery.
Diet and Nutrition
Maintaining a healthy weight and diet before and after surgery helps reduce the risk of complications and ensure a speedy recovery. Our HSS Weight Management team is available for consultation, and the below resources can help you prepare:
- Your diet and preparing for surgery
- Nutrition for healing
Case Management - Discharge Planning
HSS case managers are dedicated to addressing the needs of adult and pediatric patients.
Patient Education
Patients at HSS have access to a wide range of materials to help them understand the role of perioperative medicine in their care and help them prepare for their hospitalization. The following resources address many of the frequently asked questions and concerns related to surgery at HSS.
Preoperative Education Classes
Patients undergoing surgery at HSS can benefit from preoperative classes that explain what to expect and how to adapt during recovery.
Pediatric Perioperative Medicine
The Lerner Children's Pavilion provides information to pediatric patients undergoing surgery and their families.
Information about Surgery at HSS
Visit Preparing for Your Surgery.
HSS is currently a site for the Perioperative Ischemic Evaluation-2 Trial (POISE-2), which is an international study evaluating medication use perioperatively and the risk of cardiovascular outcomes postoperatively.
Many studies have been completed on the outcomes of patients with inflammatory diseases. The large volume of surgery done at HSS provides an excellent environment for research and to help answer questions about the best ways to care for patients perioperatively.
HSS Playbook Blog
Perioperative Care of the Orthopedic Patient
Editors: C. Ronald MacKenzie, Charles N. Cornell, and Stavros G. Memtsoudis