When Danya Laurendeau found out she would one day need knee replacement surgery on both knees, she started researching her options. Fast forward eleven years to 2021- it was finally time to move forward with surgery, as walking and working were becoming increasingly difficult for her.
She was surprised to find that many hospitals in the Tri-Cities, where she lives, hadn’t upgraded their technology or procedures since she originally learned she would need surgery many years before. “It seems we get a new phone software update every few months- technology is evolving, but I didn’t see that so much in the surgery realm where I was looking,” says Laurendeau.
Laurendeau first heard about robotic-assisted surgery through a hospital in Seattle, but receiving care in a large city wasn’t her preference. “It’s hard to park, hard to find a place to stay, hard to navigate,” recalls Laurendeau, who’s husband had been in a long-term care facility in Seattle a few years back. “Once I started looking into robotic surgeries, I saw Pullman Regional Hospital offered them, I was intrigued.” She then did thorough research on the providers, facility, and procedure, as she does for all medical events. “I watched a video online describing the robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery. It was top-notch,” says Laurendeau. She arranged to meet with Dr. Kyle Hazelwood of Inland Orthopaedics, part of Pullman Regional Hospital’s Orthopedic Center of Excellence.
Her interactions with Dr. Hazelwood were amazing. “He was so professional and knowledgeable. You could tell he had a great relationship with his nurses, they all respect him and he respects them,” describes Laurendeau. “I walked away with the feeling of ‘yeah, I can do this,’ my gut feeling about this surgery was good.”
Her procedure took place at Pullman Regional Hospital in September 2021. She remembered that, “everyone I came into contact with was there for me.” She described the hospital as small, clean, and professional. Having frequented many healthcare facilities during her husband’s illness, she was impressed with the attention to detail and cleanliness of Pullman Regional Hospital in comparison to larger facilities.
Laurendeau is recovering comfortably at home, where she’s also receiving physical therapy treatments to aid in recovery. She says her physical therapist is impressed with how quickly she’s progressing. She’s confident that her knee replacement surgery will keep her from having to have hip surgery in the future.
“Pullman Regional Hospital is worth the drive from Tri-Cities because of the innovative technology,” says Laurendeau. “I’m already scheduled to have my other knee done by Dr. Hazelwood.”
If you’re interested in learning more about how robotic-assisted surgeries could help you, check out CORI robotic-assisted surgery, meet Dr, Kyle Hazelwood, and explore the Orthopedic Center of Excellence.
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