Patient Center

An orthopedic surgeon is a medical doctor who specializes in the treatment of the musculoskeletal system. This system includes bones, joints, muscles, and any related painful conditions.

Physician Assistants (P.A.s) are licensed healthcare professionals who practice medicine with physician supervision. As part of the physician/P.A. team, P.A.s diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries. They deliver a broad range of medical and surgical services to diverse populations in both rural and urban settings throughout the United States. Their focus is patient care, which may include education, research, and administrative activities. P.A.s can treat patients when the physician is away from the practice and can write prescriptions.

Injectable cortisone is synthetically produced and has many different trade names, such as Celestone, Kenalog and Depomedrol, but is a close derivative of your body’s own product. It can be injected into areas of the body that have become inflamed from overuse, injury, or arthritis, with significant relief of symptom. Common areas for injection include the major joints such as hips, knees, or shoulders for arthritis or bursitis. Other problem areas such as tennis elbow, trigger finger, carpal tunnel syndrome, or plantar fasciitis in the foot are common sites for injection. Cortisone injections usually work within a few days and the effects can last for several weeks. Often physicians do not want to give more than three cortisone injections at least 3 months apart. If the response is not helpful, repeating it may not be worthwhile. The most common side effect is a ‘cortisone flare,’ a condition where the injected cortisone can cause a brief period of pain worse than before the shot. This usually lasts a day or two and is best treated by icing the injected area. Careful injection technique is used to decrease the risk of infection. For patients with diabetes, there may be a transient increase in their blood sugar, so it should be monitored closely.

Synvisc is a different kind of treatment for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee that actually replaces damaged knee fluid in the knee joint. Only your doctor can decide if Synvisc is a good option for you if mild exercise and physical therapy or simple pain relievers like acetaminophen or other anti-inflammatory medications haven’t given enough relief. It is administered directly into the knee, one injection a week for three weeks. It may reduce osteoarthritis knee pain for up to 6 months, with maximum relief usually 6-8 weeks after the series. Some people may begin to experience pain relief after the first injection of Synvisc, however all three injections are recommended for maximum benefit. The side effects most commonly seen when Synvisc is injected into the knee were pain, swelling and/or fluid build-up around the knee. Rarely a rash has been seen post injection. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to products from birds, such as feathers, eggs, or poultry.

Arthroscopic surgery is a modern method of performing surgery inside the joint through very small incisions. The incisions are usually about a quarter of an inch in length with two or three incisions per joint necessary. A video camera is attached to the end of a long thin microscope, which is placed inside the joint. Other long, thin, frequently motorized instruments are used to perform surgery inside joints. Knees and shoulders most commonly benefit, but other joints such as ankles, hips, and wrists may also be done.

Total joint replacement means replacing both sides of the surface of a joint. In the knee it means replacing both the thin cartilage surface on the lower joint surface which is the tibia, and the upper joint surface which is the femur. Also, the joint surface under the kneecap is replaced. This requires removing the thin cartilage surface and a thin surface of bone for replacement with a metal and plastic surface. This allows all movement of the joint to occur between the metal and plastic parts rather than the raw bone left by arthritis.

We ask that you bring your insurance card or other health coverage information to your appointment. *Please be aware that many insurance carriers require you to have a referral (authorization from your primary care physician) before treatment is provided by a specialist, such as an orthopedist. Please check with your insurance carrier if you have any questions about your plan.

List of prescription medications including doses and how often you take them
Referral form if required by your health insurance plan
Any X-rays or MRI’s that have been taken (not older than six months old)
Clinic notes or operative reports from your referring physician (that relate to the condition for which you are seeking medical consultation from our physician)
Should you have any general questions prior to your visit, please feel free to contact us at 785-261-7599 and we will be happy to assist you.

Emergencies arise occasionally when our patients need to contact our physicians regarding pain or other symptoms. Our clinic always has physicians “on call” in case of after-hours emergencies. If you need to contact a Hays Orthopedic Institute physician when the clinic is closed (after hours or on weekends), please call Hays Medical Center at 785-623-5000 or 800-248-0073 and the hospital will notify the physician on call to contact you. For nonemergent prescriptions or prescription refills, please call during normal hours of operation. Be aware that any request for a prescription or prescription refills prior to 3 p.m. on any business day will be answered in order of receipt on that same day. Any request for a prescription or prescription refills after 3 p.m. will be answered in order of receipt on the following business day. All requests will be addressed as quickly as possible.

If you need to request medical records from one of our offices, please be aware that it could take several business days for you to receive your records. We will make every effort to fulfill all medical records requests as quickly as possible. Please contact us at 785-261-7557 to request a copy of your medical records or should you have any questions regarding your medical records.

Our physicians perform surgeries at Hays Medical Center and a few hospitals in the area. At Hays Orthopedic Institute, we understand that the period of time surrounding your surgery can produce an uneasy feeling feeling for patients. In order to make the experience a better one for our patients, you will be provided with detailed information about when to arrive at the hospital and what to expect after your surgery has been completed. When packing your bags to go to the hospital, remember to pack the following:

Any specific, individualized instructions/information provided to you by your physician
A complete list of all prescribed and nonprescription medications that you are taking
Loose, comfortable clothing (including shorts)
Athletic or walking shoes
Insurance/Workers’ Compensation information
Picture I.D.

Hays Orthopedic Institute providers will only refill medications they have originally prescribed. Please double check the name of the ordering provider before contacting our office for a refill. It is best to notify us at the time of your office appointment. If that is not possible, please contact your pharmacy and they will contact us directly. Medications will not be refilled at night and on weekends.