08
April
2020
|
08:00 AM
America/New_York

HSS Urgent Ortho Care Opens in NYC, Long Island, NJ and CT

Alternative to Hospital Emergency Room Offers Expert Care for Orthopedic Injury

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) has opened five urgent care centers for serious orthopedic injuries that require prompt medical attention. HSS Urgent Ortho Care has two locations on Manhattan’s Upper East Side; one on Long Island in central Nassau County; one in Stamford, Connecticut; and one in Paramus, New Jersey.

As a specialty hospital dedicated to musculoskeletal care, HSS has the expertise and resources to provide urgent orthopedic care at the new centers, including x-ray and MRI imaging to diagnose injuries. “Right now, hospital emergency rooms need to focus their resources and medical personnel on the current health crisis and the influx of patients with COVID-19. As experts in orthopedic care, we can help take some of the load off overwhelmed hospitals by treating orthopedic injuries that would otherwise require a trip to an emergency room,” said Louis A. Shapiro, HSS president and CEO.

Mr. Shapiro anticipates that residents of New York City, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut will take advantage of the specialized care that the centers provide. “Orthopedic injuries, such as sprains, strains and broken bones, are among the most common reasons people go to a hospital emergency room,” he notes. “During these trying times, HSS Urgent Ortho Care provides an alternative to enable people to have their injury evaluated at a facility specializing in orthopedics.”

HSS Urgent Ortho Care has instituted extensive precautions to ensure that patients, visitors and staff remain safe during the coronavirus outbreak. In the interest of ensuring everyone’s safety, patient walk-ins are not permitted. Anyone wishing to be seen at the center must first call to make an appointment. This will allow for a preliminary COVID-19 screening and an initial injury assessment. Upon arrival, patients will have their temperature taken and will be asked about recent travel, any symptoms of illness and exposure to others with diagnosed or possible COVID-19 symptoms. HSS Urgent Ortho Care sites have implemented additional prevention policies, including proper social distancing measures, and staff have the required personal protective equipment.

Individuals will see a doctor specializing in orthopedic care or sports medicine and will have access to diagnostic imaging, including MRI. If a patient needs orthopedic surgery, he or she will be given the option of having the procedure at Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. The hospital continues to provide essential care for patients, and that includes surgery.

“HSS Urgent Ortho Care is available to people with an acute injury or orthopedic issue that needs to be evaluated promptly for the proper diagnosis and treatment, and to avoid a bigger problem later,” said John P. DiFiori, MD, FACSM, chief of Primary Sports Medicine at HSS. “Under the current circumstances, the centers offer essential care for a new injury or orthopedic issue. If an individual has a longstanding or chronic problem, we offer telehealth consultations.”

Dr. DiFiori says signs that one should seek prompt medical attention include a recent injury that results in the inability to bear weight; the inability to move, bend or straighten an arm, leg or other part of the musculoskeletal system; and severe swelling.

Examples of injuries the center’s specialists treat include:

  • A painful bone, tendon, muscle or joint injury that has occurred within the past few days.
  • A possible fracture. However, if the bone has broken through the skin, one should go directly to an emergency room.
  • An acute, recent injury or recent severe pain of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle or foot.
  • Acute, severe pain in the neck or back that makes it difficult to move.
  • Recent onset of severe muscle or bone pain that one had not experienced before.
  • Recent onset of swollen joints.

HSS Urgent Ortho Care locations are open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. Anyone who would like to make an appointment can call 833.HSS.7100 (833.477.7100).

For more information, visit: https://www.hss.edu/urgent-orthopedic-care.asp

 

About HSS

HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 14th consecutive year), No. 2 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2023-2024), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2023-2024). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fourth consecutive year (2023). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.