The Joint Center

The Joint Center

Living well means different things to different people. Whether you love golfing, competitive cycling, walking, or lifting a grandchild, it's important to move without pain. Aging often presents challenges to comfortable movement. But no matter your age, there are ways we can help.

 Arthritis affects about 40 million Americans, or one in eight. Arthritis, other degenerative joint diseases, and joint injury rob people of mobility and independence. Joint patients are primarily people over 60, but younger individuals may also benefit from the surgery. At The Joint Center at Valley Medical Center, orthopedic surgeons and staff are committed to combatting the effects of joint disease and injury and helping people revitalize their quality of life.

About The Joint Center

The Joint Center at Valley Medical Center is the first dedicated joint replacement center in the Pacific Northwest. The nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy staff have special training and experience related specifically to the care and treatment of joint replacement patients and their families. They specialize in the latest technology and standards of care in this rapidly changing area of medicine.

The Joint Center is a leader in adopting the latest technology for joint replacement surgery. VMC surgeons continuously study and adapt innovations in the field. Among the most exciting tools is computer-assisted surgery (CAS). The Joint Center was one of the first to adopt this technology and report on our results in a multicenter study. CAS is a surgical option that addresses a key issue in joint replacement: alignment. Poorly aligned joints are considered a major source of implant failure. William Barrett, MD, medical director for The Joint Center, was one of the early adopters of this advanced technology for joint replacement. This technology has led to new advancements such as custom cutting guides based on pre-op computer evaluation of patients' knees

Top Rated By HealthGrades

The Joint Center is Best Rated in the Seattle area for Joint Replacement Surgery and Overall Orthopedics by HealthGrades, an independent firm evaluating national healthcare quality. HealthGrades also ranked Valley Medical Center among the top 5 percent nationally in joint replacement. Here are some of the additional ratings The Joint Center has received:

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• Recipient of the HealthGrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award™ - (2010)
• Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Joint Replacement™ - (2010)
• Best Ranked in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Region for Overall Orthopedic Services and Spine Surgery - (2010) 
• Ranked Among the Top 5 in WA for Overall Orthopedic Services and Spine Surgery - (2010)
• Five-Star Rated for Overall Orthopedic Services – (2010)
• Five-Star Rated for Joint Replacement Surgery – Seven Years in a Row (2004 - 2010)
• Five-Star Rated for Back and Neck Surgery (without Fusion) – Eight Years in a Row (2003 - 2010)
• Five-Star Rated for Total Knee Replacement – Seven Years in a Row (2004 - 2010)
• Five-Star Rated for Total Hip Replacement – (2010)
• Five-Star Rated for Spinal Surgery – Five Years in a Row (2006 - 2010)
  For more information on these ratings, click here.

Joint replacement surgery at Valley Medical Center is scheduled on a Monday or Tuesday. Most patients leave the hospital by Friday, some as early as Wednesday. At VMC, we believe patients benefit from a partnership that includes the surgeon, the hospital staff, and family members.

Education

At Valley Medical Center, we also understand the importance of education. Patients receive educational materials and ample opportunity to ask questions. What to expect before and after surgery, what to bring to the hospital, how caregivers can help: these are some of the topics covered in our weekly joint replacement seminars held at The Joint Center. To register for a weekly seminar, call 425-656-4636.

Dr. Barrett also holds free seminars four times a year. Watch our  Events Calendar for details.