Northwest Specialty Hospital adds knee-replacement robotics, awards 

Orthopedic surgeons at the physician-owned Northwest Specialty Hospital (NWSH) in Post Falls now have access to the newest in surgical robotics. The new technology came months after NWSH earned a distinction for expertise in total knee and hip replacement surgeries. 

Total-knee arthroplasty (knee replacement) can now be performed by surgeons at NWSH with the help of the VELYS digital surgery robotic-assisted solution.

The robotic system uses a proprietary combination of hardware and software called PURESIGHT, a high-speed camera using hydrophobic optical reflectors and infrared technology to help surgeons track their patient’s anatomy instantly and accurately. This information is used to deliver consistently accurate surgical cuts. 

NWSH partnered with the teams of orthopedic surgeons at Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine as well as the Orthopedic Sports Institute to advance the level of orthopedic care offered at NWSH, according to Darron Rock, director of marketing. The collaborative effort led the hospital to partner with DePuy Synthes and purchase the VELYS system. Introduced at NWSH earlier this year, the system is showing promising results, he said. 

DePuy Synthes, the orthopedic branch of Johnson & Johnson, designed the VELYS system to adapt to surgeon workflows, helping them resect bones aligning and positioning the implant, relative to soft tissue, without the need for pre-operative imagery. 

According to a release from the hospital, the system helps surgeons perform knee replacements using data tailored to each patient’s anatomy. Using the surgical robotics, patients may find increased mobility and quicker recovery time. It works in concert with the ATTUNE Knee System, a knee implant also designed to work with each patient’s individual anatomy. 

That system is the result of years of research into the knee implant by teams of orthopedic surgeons and scientists, according to NWSH. The research culminated in a knee implant demonstrating statistically significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes measures. The technology is complemented by TRUMATCH, a pre-surgical planning tool helping surgeons optimize the surgical procedure by reducing the total number of surgical steps required when compared with traditional surgery. Coupled with these systems, the VELYS Patient Path provides integrated clinical support to coordinate care between providers and patients. 

“We implemented it because we want to reduce surgical complications, which provides better results for our patients and a reputation of high-quality orthopedic care for Northwest. If we are successful in achieving that, the technology will eventually pay for itself,” said Rick Rasmussen, chief executive officer at NWSH.  

NWSH is one of the first institutions in the Pacific Northwest to access this robotic system.  

“This investment builds on the incredible work our team has done to become recognized by Blue Cross for safer knee and hip replacement surgeries,” Rasmussen said.

The new technology came several months after the hospital was named a Blue Center of Distinction+ for Knee and Hip Replacement by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. That distinction recognizes the hospital’s expertise in total knee and hip replacement surgeries resulting in fewer patient complications and readmissions, and “recognizes health care facilities and providers for their expertise and efficiency in delivering specialty care,” Rasmussen said. “It establishes a solid history of commitment to the highest level of care, before we invested in one of the most advanced knee replacement systems in the world.” 

The hospital has also garnered awards from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which gives it a five-star rating overall. It has earned recognition for having low infection rates compared with community access hospitals. NWSH invested in a Xenex LightStrike System in 2019, the only system proven to kill the virus causing COVID, before the pandemic. It has also earned awards for high patient satisfaction.  

Rock cited a report from the American Hospital Association indicating there were about 6,090 hospitals in the United States in 2021, with fewer than 130 owned and operated by physicians. Physician ownership allows surgeons to make choices about the quality of care they offer patients, rather than being beholden to financial constraints that focus on short-term decisions, he said. 

Total knee replacements are common surgeries, with about 900,000 primary knee replacements done in the United States annually. They are generally covered by insurance when the patient qualifies for the procedure. No additional change in reimbursement or cost is incurred by the NWSH patient when the new system is used. 

“Although surgery is an important aspect of what we do, there are non-surgical solutions as well, such as regenerative medicine and physical therapy offered by our providers that can help improve knee pain for those patients seeking a non-surgical option,” Rasmussen said.