Before the day is done, 1,090 children will see a doctor, 46 will have surgery, 36 will be admitted to the hospital, 236 will come to the emergency room and a staff of 4,688 people will make sure every child receives the best possible care at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Phoenix Children’s is one of the largest children’s hospital in the United States. It was founded in 1983 with the bold vision to become a top pediatric hospital by providing superior care to sick and injured children.
There is no other orthopedic sub-specialty quite like pediatrics. It’s very different from practices which deal primarily with chronic, degenerative diseases—like osteoarthritis (total joint replacement) or degenerative disc disease (spine fusion or disc arthroplasty).
In pediatric orthopedics, doctors tackle injuries and diseases of the immature musculoskeletal system—an ever changing biologic system.
Orthopedics This Week spent a day in March embedded with a group of talented orthopedic physicians.
So, join us for a day in the many lives of Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
First Patient of the Day
Our first patient today is Benjamin Hubbard. He and his mom are seeing Dr. Kristina Wilson. Benjamin just got out of his leg cast. He’d broken a bone three years and again two months ago. Turns out Benjamin has fibrous dysplasia—which is a condition that weaken his bones.
Benjamin originally broke his bone jumping on a mini-trampoline.
Dr. Wilson runs Phoenix Children’s sports medicine program and serves as medical director for 4 of the high schools in the Phoenix Children’s program. In total, PCH covers 12 local schools. She is also the medical director in charge of concussion protocols in sports.
Dr. Wilson goes to all the football games and, yes, she also helps out with Ballet Arizona.
Benjamin is in great hands.
“I try to be at my patient’s level when I talk with them. I also try to make it fun for them.” Dr. Wilson told us. “We help our young patients be pain free.”
“Benjamin is very polite, very respectful young boy. He listened carefully when I told him what he could do and what he could not do. He asked me if he could swim. I said ‘Yes.’”
Eighty percent of Dr. Wilson’s practice is non-operative. Dr. Wilson did her residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, then left for her fellowship at Vanderbilt University. She returned to Phoenix Children’s in 2010 and she is delighted to be back.
Benjamin had been in his cast for two months. Together with his mother, Dr. Wilson reviewed the X-rays. Good news. Benjamin’s leg showed more healing than Dr. Wilson expected. He’s doing great.
With five siblings at home, Benjamin will be getting back up to full speed very soon.
Motion Analysis Lab
Computers, data mining and predictive analytics—these are exciting innovations and are a major reason Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s new motion analysis lab is impressive.
