Oakwood Heritage Hospital in Taylor broke ground May 20 on a $31 million expansion and renovation project to create a specialized surgical center of excellence focused on orthopedic care. The OHH Bone & Joint Institute will serve as the hub for innovative orthopedic care with a focus on joint replacement technology and clinical services, and will support the Wayne State University School of Medicine residency programs in Orthopaedic Surgery and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation housed at the OHH campus.

"The Bone and Joint Institute represents Oakwood's continued investment and commitment in our already strong orthopedic and rehabilitation programs," said Kelly C. Smith, OHH chief operating officer. "This institute will offer the technology and infrastructure needed to provide an unparalleled level of service and clinical expertise to our patients and the communities we serve. We already take pride in being an excellent destination to receive care and an outstanding place for our clinical team to practice its trade. This investment will allow us to impact more people in our community, be they patients, employees, residents or attending physicians."

The project will be constructed in a series of phases throughout 2012, and will include 12 private patient suites, eight state-of-the-art operating rooms, and 40 private pre- and post-operative rooms. The building will include a new dedicated entrance, parking lot, common areas and registration suites for all scheduled patients and guests entering the facility.

Orthopedic care at OHH also includes the integration of a computer navigation system in the operating rooms, a GPS-like technology that allows the surgical team to have a multi-dimensional view of a patient's joint before an incision is made with the goal of precise calculations and increased precision.

"Oakwood is building a wonderful center for the people of Michigan, and we are fortunate to be a part of the effort," said Valerie Parisi, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., interim dean of the School of Medicine. "Our residents will be training and practicing in a facility that is not only state of the art, but the state of the future of medicine in Michigan."

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 700,000 primary total hip and knee replacements are performed in the United States each year, and the demand is expected to keep growing.

Lawrence Morawa, M.D., Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics for the School of Medicine, called the construction of the institute a "very important step for the continued care of Oakwood patients and an important step in the partnership between Oakwood and the School of Medicine."

The AAOS says Michigan ranks third on the list of the 10 states with the lowest orthopaedic surgeon density per 100,000 residents, at 4.39. Only West Virginia and Mississippi have fewer orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Mowawa said it is crucial that Michigan develop and train more orthopaedic surgeons who remain to practice here as the state's population ages. As the baby boom generation -- the largest segment of the population -- continues to age, it places greater demands on orthopaedic surgeons.

"It's a field that will continue to be in high demand," Dr. Morawa said. "We are living longer and we want to remain active longer. That puts pressure on our aging bodies that will require treatment by skilled orthopaedic surgeons, including knee and hip replacements, so that we can continue to take part in the activities we enjoy."

According to the AAOS, orthopaedic complaints are the most common reason Americans seek medical treatment. One in seven Americans suffers an orthopaedic impairment, and more than 7 million Americans require hospitalization for orthopaedic conditions. Back and knee injuries are the most prevalent orthopaedic complaints, with 21 million visits to physicians' offices for back problems and 12 million visits for knee problems in 2006, the latest year for which records are available. Musculoskeletal injuries cost the nation 440 million lost days of work, and $254 billion annually for treatment.

As baby boomers continue to work and play hard -- as well as live longer than their parents -- those numbers are expected to increase

Orthopaedics is an extremely competitive field, with about 650 residency slots available annually in the nation's 170 accredited programs, according to the AAOS.