About the Procedure

PROHEALTH CARE TO BROADCAST LIVE SURGERY VIA WEBCAST

Knee Replacement Surgery at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital

Oconomowoc, WI – ProHealth Care will broadcast a surgery live via the Internet during a webcast at 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 17. The surgery will be a total knee replacement procedure at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital.

This is ProHealth Care’s first surgical webcast and it will kickoff a series of live surgeries ProHealth Care is planning throughout 2006.

Orthopedic surgeon, Timothy Schultz, MD, will perform the procedure while T. Scott Stanwyck, MD, orthopedic surgeon, serves as moderator to explain the procedure and answer questions that viewers e-mail. The webcast will be available at www.or-live.com.

“More people are getting knee replacements every year, explained Timothy Schultz, MD, orthopedic surgeon. “For patients who are considering the procedure, the webcast will be a wonderful way to reduce anxiety by allowing them to get an inside look at the surgery they’ll be having.”

“The webcast will provide a rare opportunity for interaction with the surgeons,” said T. Scott Stanwyck, MD, orthopedic surgeon. This will provide a unique, live view into a hospital and surgical procedure that most people would otherwise never be able to experience.”

The knee is the largest, strongest and heaviest joint in the body and carries almost half of the body’s weight. If arthritis, injury or wear-and-tear wears away the cartilage in the knee, total knee replacement often becomes necessary to relieve pain and resume regular activities.

The Internet has become a valuable resource for consumers looking for health information. According to the Pew Internet & American Life project, in 2004 more than 95 million users searched for health-specific information on the Internet. ProHealth Care is providing webcasts to educate people about treatment options including innovative procedures and surgeries that are performed frequently.

ProHealth Care is planning three additional webcasts this year including a Robotic Prostatectomy performed at Waukesha Memorial Hospital. Go to www.prohealthcare.org for information about upcoming webcasts.

ProHealth Care is the only community-rooted health care system in the region and one of the few in the state. For more than 90 years, ProHealth Care has been the major provider of health services in Waukesha County. Its integrated health network includes Waukesha Memorial Hospital and Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, 15 ProHealth Care Medical Centers, home health care and hospice services, assisted and independent living communities and West Wood Health and Fitness Center. ProHealth Care’s mission is to serve residents of Waukesha County and surrounding areas with the highest quality of care at a reasonable cost. ProHealth Care is a leader in providing hospital cost and quality information to consumers. ProHealth was the first in the state to publish hospital charges for the most common procedures and the first to provide a Consumer Inquiry Line that consumers can call for hospital charge information. ProHealth Care is proud to be the largest employer in Waukesha County and among the Best Places to Work (Milwaukee Magazine 2005). More information is available at www.prohealthcare.org.