E.L. Robinson Engineering

Why Choose The Joint & Spine Center

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An Exceptional Patient Experience

The Christ Hospital Joint & Spine Center believes family and friends are an important part of every patient's healing process and we are committed to a patient- and family-centered care philosophy. As part of this commitment, we have eliminated visiting hours and encourage loved ones to stay and to participate in care along with the patient, nursing staff and physicians. To make this easier, we even allow a loved-one to stay in the room over night, should they prefer to.

And this philosophy is working - patient satisfaction among our joint and spine patients consistently scores in the top 5-8% of the nation according to Press Ganey, the nation's leading patient satisfaction surveyor. Additional amenities in our rooms include:

• Comfortable, all private rooms with individual control of pillow top, curtains, heating/cooling, lighting and abundant space for family member and visitors
  Wider doorways and larger bathrooms to accommodate postsurgical and disabled patients
• Stunning views of downtown Cincinnati and beyond
• Outdoor spaces and rooftop gardens for respite and rehabilitation
• Patient care and public areas with plentiful natural light
• Patient interactive educational TV
• Personalized dining services.

Advanced Technologies

In order to enhance patient experience, the new center features the finest, most up-to-date, state-of-the-art technologies including:

• Digital imaging equipment
• Computer-assisted surgery devices; robotic- and navigation-assisted surgery
• Surgical suites and instruments
• Card-swipe technology to securely move patients through the facility from admission to discharge
• Patient registration and follow-up appointment scheduling kiosks
• Fully- integrated electronic medical record system
• Digitized records of room numbers, appointments, etc., for easy patient care tracking
• Rehabilitation, conference and training facilities.

Exceptional Outcomes

The Christ Hospital Joint & Spine Center's world-class team has an established track record of excellent surgical outcomes in both joint replacement and spine care. To get you back to a healthy and active life, the Joint & Spine Center has:

• Operating room technology that allows surgeons to use the most advanced surgical techniques
• Advanced post-operative pain control so effective it may eliminate the use of narcotic medications  in some cases
• Nursing staff specialized in caring for joint and spine patients
• Rehabilitation staff who are experts in maximizing recovery after spine surgery or joint replacement
• Excellent length-of-stay results to get you up, out of the hospital and on the road to recovery faster
• Dedicated nurse navigators available to guide you through every step of the process
• Coordination of in-home rehabilitation should that be deemed necessary by your physician.

An Exceptional Facility

The Christ Hospital Joint & Spine Center is first of its kind in the region — and one of only a few in the nation — to provide comprehensive, evidence-based joint and spine care, education and clinical outcomes research in one dynamic facility. The new facility includes all-private inpatient rooms, state-of-the-art  operating rooms, rehabilitation space on each patient floor, advanced imaging and lab services all in a beautiful space filled with natural light.

We use a patient- and family-centered approach to care and have designed the Center thoughtfully, with amenities including:

• All private rooms with a comfortable space for family and visitors, including the ability for a loved one to stay overnight in the patient's room
• Patient control of curtains, heating/cooling, lighting, television and bed - all with a push of a button
• Wider doorways and larger bathrooms to accommodate post-surgical and disabled patients
• Stunning views of Downtown Cincinnati and beyond
• Outdoor spaces and rooftop gardens for patients and visitors
• Comfortable, spacious and elegant patient rooms
• Patient care and public areas with abundant natural light
• Patient interactive educational TV
• Personalized dining service, similar to room service, for patients. 

Nurse Navigator

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Our dedicated joint and spine Nurse Navigators are here for you every step of the way. Whether you are considering surgery and want to know more about The Christ Hospital Joint & Spine Center or have a question after your procedure, you can be confident in knowing you have a consistent, dependable point of contact to help guide you.

Meet Our Nurse Navigators:

Karen S Gillespie, RN, BSN, ONC - Joint Care
2139 Auburn Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45219
513-557-4882  Office
513-557-4888  Fax
JointCare@TheChristHospital.com

Sandy Spradling RN, BSN, PMGT-BC, CAPA - Spine Care
MSK Program Coordinator
Musculoskeletal Service Line
The Christ Hospital Network 2139 Auburn Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45219
513-557-4881 Office
513-557-4888 Fax
Sandra.Spradling@thechristhospital.com

Information Available Through the Joint Care Nurse Navigator

The Nurse Navigator is available to answer nearly all of your questions related to your spine or joint replacement surgery. Common information she can discuss with you includes:

• Guidance on the orthopaedic physician that is right for you
• What to expect before and after your procedure
• Preparing for your appointment with the physician, including imaging and test results to bring
• Help with parking and directions
• Travel and Accommodations recommendations

Learn More About Our Nurse Navigators

Joint Care Nurse Navigator

Karen Gillespie has been an orthopaedic nurse for more than 28 years, holding roles as a staff nurse, assistant manager and case manager. After graduating from The Christ Hospital School of Nursing, she went on to receive her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Xavier University in 1991 and Orthopaedic Nurse certification in 1994. She currently serves as the Treasurer of the Greater Cincinnati Area Chapter of the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses and is active with the Arthritis Foundation as a committee member for the Jingle Bell Run.

MSK Program Coordinator

As a registered nurse for more than 35 years at The Christ Hospital, Sandy Spradling most recently was one of our Spine pain management nurses for the past 8 years, previously in the Same Day Surgery department for 22 years. After graduating from The Christ Hospital School of Nursing in 1986, she went on to receive her Bachelor of Science of Nursing from the University of Cincinnati in 2013. Sandy is certified in both pain management, PMGT-BC, and Ambulatory PeriAnesthesia, CAPA. She is a member of ASPAN, American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses, nationally as well as state, OPANA. Sandy has volunteered with the Arthritis Foundation for the arthritis walk and participated in the Conquer Chiari walk.

Education & Resources

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​Learn more about what to expect from your hip or knee replacement surgery! Check out our Guide to Knee Replacement and our Guide to Hip Replacement to learn important inforamtion about your procedure, including:

• How to prepare before surgery
• What to expect on the day of your surgery
• What to expect while you're in the hosptial
• Planning for your return to home
• What to expect once you return home.

Guides

• Your Guide to Knee Replacement
• Your Guide to Hip Replacement

Cardiology Center of Excellence

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With its innovative, specialized, and comprehensive programs, The Heart & Vascular Institute at The Christ Hospital is regularly recognized as one of the top cardiovascular programs in the country. E.L. Robinson health plan members who utilize The Christ Hospital for qualifying cardiac care will be eligible for generous travel benefits, eliminating the cost to travel (please see travel tab) and to ensure they receive outstanding care and an outstanding experience.​​​

Cardiac Care Navigator

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Your dedicated Cardiac Care Navigator is here for you every step of the way. Whether you are scheduling a consultation or considering surgery, you will feel confident knowing you have a consistent, dependable point of contact to assist you, from planning appointments to guiding you through your hospital stay or visit.

The Cardiac Care Navigator is available to discuss information that includes:

• Guidance on the cardiology physician(s) right for you
• What to expect before and after a visit or procedure
• Preparing for your appointment, including necessary imaging and test results
• Help with parking and directions
• Travel and accommodation recommendations

Call to learn more about the E.L. Robinson​ Cardiology Center of Excellence or for any questions about an evaluation, surgical procedure, or after your visit or care is complete.

Call Your Cardiac Care Navigator:
513-263-9194

About the Heart & Vascular Institute

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While there are many ways to define excellence, for The Heart & Vascular Institute at The Christ Hospital, it is all about our patients and making their health care accessible, personal, and affordable. From our first open-heart surgery in 1969, to current advancements in minimally invasive repair techniques, robotic cardiology innovations, and our dedicated women's heart health center, our highly trained and experienced heart and vascular physicians and surgeons treat all diseases and disorders of the heart and continue to lead the nation in cardiology innovation and surgical expertise.

Since 1995, when our first Heart Health Center was launched, we have dedicated ourselves to providing the best and most compassionate heart care to the Greater Cincinnati and Tristate area. Our long tradition of bringing innovation to this community, to our country, and to the world enables us to offer groundbreaking treatment options available nowhere else in the U.S.

Your cardiovascular appointments and procedures will take place at The Christ Hospital's Heart & Vascular Institute located at 2139 Auburn Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219. 

Cincinnati's Heart Hospital

The Christ Hospital is well-known as Cincinnati's Heart Hospital^SM and is consistently recognized as one of the top 50 heart hospitals in the nation. The Christ Hospital's Heart & Vascular Institute provides the region's finest cardiology care. From our groundbreaking cardiology treatment options and surgical innovations, available nowhere else in the country—treatments our physicians helped pioneer—to the dozens of subspecialized programs we have developed, including a dedicated women's heart health center, we are the preferred choice to care for the varied and complex conditions of the heart.

The Heart & Vascular Institute offers a true team approach to cardiology care. Patients may consult with one, two, three, or more physicians from different cardiology specialties and subspecialties as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Our physicians make treatment decisions together, often working side-by-side in the operating room or cardiac catheterization lab. While not every patient needs this type of complex, highly coordinated care, you can rest assured that our skilled team is here for those who do need this expertise.

Innovation and Compassionate Care

The Heart & Vascular Institute at The Christ Hospital provides advanced cardiovascular care in a welcoming, healing environment. From wellness and prevention services, to the latest heart and vascular surgical procedures, our dedicated women's heart center, and our revolutionary clinical research, everything we do is focused on helping people with heart and vascular disease experience the best quality of life possible.

Every doctor, nurse, and care staff member at the Heart & Vascular Institute is dedicated to delivering innovative, exceptional care to you and your family. Our physicians have helped pioneer numerous leading-edge drugs and medical devices. In fact, the Heart & Vascular Institute has provided patients with access to every new cardiovascular intervention technology over the past 25 years. More than 40 cardiologists and surgeons care for patients at the Heart & Vascular Institute and, together with our skilled and compassionate nurses and other clinical staff, provide a program that is truly unparalleled in this region. It's all part of our commitment to upholding The Christ Hospital's long-standing reputation as Greater Cincinnati's Heart Hospital^TM.

In addition to providing the most advanced clinical care, every element of the center is designed to promote recovery, with natural features that include a rock garden, a water terrace, rooftop gardens, and views of downtown Cincinnati. Among the many services available at the center are:

• Comprehensive cardiovascular testing, including advanced cardiac imaging

• State-of-the-art cardiac catheterization labs and electrophysiology labs

• Technologically advanced operating rooms, where surgeons perform heart and vascular surgeries using the most innovative and minimally invasive techniques available

• The Cardiovascular Step-Down Unit, where patients recover in comfortable, spacious, private rooms while receiving attentive care from our team

Specialized Care for Critically Ill Patients

At the Heart & Vascular Institute, we provide care for severely ill heart and vascular patients in the center's state-of-the-art Richard T. Farmer Family Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU). Patients in the CVICU are often recovering from a serious event, such as a heart attack or aortic aneurysm. Some are in a state of "cardiogenic shock," which can lead to multiple organ failure. The CVICU offers advanced technology and a level of care that is typically available only at academic medical centers. The 16-bed facility is fully staffed around the clock with a team of different specialists who consult with one another to make care decisions and provide additional therapies, as needed. Physicians in the CVICU work with the center's "shock team" to provide complex therapies including:

• Advanced mechanical ventilation to help patients breathe when unable to do so on their own

• Heart pumps and other implantable devices to support blood flow

• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a form of life support that can provide a bridge to more advanced therapies such as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs)

Exceptional Research & Education

The Carl H. and Edyth Lindner Center for Research and Education at The Christ Hospital has a world-class reputation for international leadership in clinical cardiovascular research and attracts medical industry leaders, which brings new treatments to The Heart & Vascular Institute for patients in Greater Cincinnati—long before those therapies are available elsewhere. This research includes our participation in more than 1,200 clinical trials, including multiple first-in-man and first-in-the-U.S. procedures, which contribute to the Heart & Vascular Institute's best practice standards for cardiology patient care.

Our most recent pioneering treatment options include:

2019 & 2020 FIRST in the world:

• Sievers Mitral repair ring (Robotic)
• Xylorcor in Refractory Angina
• J-Valve-subclavian access (TAVR)

2019 & 2020 FIRST in the US:

• Thoracoscopic MAZE utilizing the epi sense ablation catheter
• JenaValve

2019 & 2020 FIRST in Cincinnati:

• Frozen elephant trunk arch aneurysm repair
• Acurate Valve Trial
• Foldax Trial Heart Valve

2019 & 2020 FIRST at The Christ Hospital:

• Ross Procedure – no other adult hospital offers this

Directions & Parking

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How Do I Get to The Christ Hospital Joint & Spine Center?

The Christ Hospital Joint & Spine Center address is 2139 Auburn Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219. Your joint replacement procedure will take place in the Joint & Spine Center. 

Parking

The Christ Hospital offers a number of free, convenient parking options. For easiest access to the Joint & Spine Center, we recommend parking in P1 garage, P2 parking lot or Medical Office Building Valet. To get to either P1 or P2, turn off of Auburn Avenue onto Huntington Place or Mason Street. To get to Medical Office Building Valet, turn off of Auburn Avenue onto Mason Street.

In addition to P1, P2 and Medical Office Building Valet, The Christ Hospital also offers parking in the P3 parking garage and Valet located at our Heart Center Entrance.

P1

ACCESS:

Turn from Auburn Avenue onto Huntington Place or Mason Street. From the P1 Parking garage, take the skywalk on Level 1 toward the hospital. Turn left at the end of the skywalk into the Joint & Spine Center.

CLEARANCE: 8'

P2

ACCESS:

Turn off of Auburn Avenue onto Huntington Place or Mason Street. From the P2 parking lot, cross Mason Street and enter the Joint and Spine Center main entrance on Level C.

Medical Office Building Valet

ACCESS:

Turn off of Auburn Avenue onto Mason Street. Valet will be on the right. From the Medical Office Building valet, take the patient elevators to Level 1. Turn right off the elevators and follow the hallway until it dead ends. At the end of the hallway, turn left towards the skywalk and follow the skywalk to the right. The Joint & Spine Center will be directly ahead.

Travel

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​​​​The ELR Medical Travel Policy is being introduced for 2025. Under this new policy, employees would be eligible to receive compensation for traveling to access higher quality and more affordable healthcare treatment. This policy is introduced in response to significant cost variations between hospitals, as highlighted by new federal transparency laws. These laws have shed light on the discrepancies in pricing, most notable is that larger hospitals often have lower rates and higher safety grades. This is a strategic approach to p​romote employee well-being while managing healthcare costs. As healthcare expenses continue to rise, this policy allows employees to seek necessary medical procedures where treatments are more often performed making them more cost-effective, reducing out-of-pocket expenses. By encouraging you, the employee, to pursue these options, ELR not only supports your health and financial stability but also wants to encourage a culture of proactive health management. This Policy aims to ensure you receive the highest quality care by facilitating access to top medical facilities.​​​

Process

• Consultation - After diagnosis, consult with your primary care physician for a referral to another doctor/hospital.
• Health Advocate - If needed, contact our health advocate at 866-695-8622 for assistance in finding a highly ranked, lower priced alternative for care.
• Direct Contact - If necessary, contact the medical center directly to schedule an appointment and coordinate medical records with your current physician.

Medical Related Travel Expenses

For travel expenses for the purpose of medical services for a covered member of the E.L. Robinson Engineering Co. group medical plans traveling 100 miles or more from their home address, the following will be covered during the reimbursement period:

• $250 day limit for reasonable lodging
• $200 day limit for meals
• Ground travel is reimbursed based on the mileage from the recipients home or temporary lodging to the facility where services are rendered. Reimbursement will be calculated using the current IRS standard mileage rates
• $50 day limit for automobile rentals
• Air travel is reimbursed at the price of the airline ticket (coach class)
• Tolls and parking incurred while traveling for services between the recipient’s home or temporary lodging and service facility
• For approved travel, up to 3 days PTO per occurrence with a maximum of 12 days per year will be provided
• There is a $10,000 aggregate limit for all travel cost The reimbursement period begins five days prior to an occurrence (service dates) and ends 12 months after the date of services.

Reimbursement applies to the member receiving services and one other person. If the recipient seeking services is a minor, reimbursement will be covered for two adults. Reimbursement for services must be accompanied by eligible receipts provided to the Human Resources Department no later than 12 months after services rendered.