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Joint replacement surgery gives Marguerite a new lease on life

Marguerite Manshreck-Head, 74, has always been active, riding horses and playing squash and tennis. But the Markham senior, who has arthritis, realized she needed to seek care when she began experiencing pain in her knee and shoulder. “It was impacting my life, my ability to reach up and get something off the shelf, my ability to climb in and out of the tub, even my ability to walk.”

Marguerite’s family doctor referred her to Oak Valley Health’s Orthopaedic and Joint Assessment Centre (OJAC). Located at Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH), OJAC assesses whether a patient is a candidate for surgery on the hip and knee, lower back/spine, shoulder, foot, and ankle.

In June 2023, Marguerite had knee replacement surgery as an outpatient, performed by Dr. Evan Watts at MSH. Determined to get back on her feet as soon as possible, Marguerite booked a ticket to visit Paris three months after her operation. “In the first and second months, my walking was very limited, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to go,” she says. “But in the third month I recovered, and I went to Paris.”

Marguerite had pain in both her knee and shoulder.

Six months after her knee surgery, Marguerite had shoulder replacement surgery, performed at MSH by MS by Dr. Crystal Smith. “Marguerite had an indwelling catheter placed just before her operation and she stayed overnight to be seen by physiotherapy and to make sure her pain was under control before being discharged,” says Dr. Smith. “Having shoulder replacement surgery will eventually allow Marguerite to have relief from pain with good function for returning to her daily activities.”

Oak Valley Health performs a range of shoulder surgeries, including rotator cuff repairs, total shoulder replacement, arthroscopy, and many other types of repairs to restore quality of life and mobility to patients. In 2023-2024, Oak Valley Health performed 330 shoulder surgeries.

Marguerite is grateful for her health care journey at Oak Valley Health. “From the minute I walked in the door until I left, I was met with courteous, professional, and very competent staff,” she says. “There was a wonderful feeling of teamwork and respect for each other and for the patients. Having worked for more than 30 years in business, I know this simply doesn’t happen by chance.”

Our surgical program received a prominent designation from the American College of Surgeons.

She has high praise for her pre- and post-operative care: “I knew exactly what was happening along the way. I really felt like I was in safe hands.” Marguerite also appreciates the instructions she received for post-operative physiotherapy. “I received a list of exercises and an outline of what I should be able to do, with monthly benchmarks,” she explains. “This program sets up patients for success.”

Oak Valley Health’s surgical program has been recognized and awarded over the past year for its attention, dedication, and commitment to high-quality patient care. “The program received multiple quality awards and a prominent designation from the American College of Surgeons,” says Dr. Stephen McMahon, Chief of Surgery at Oak Valley Health. "These accolades are a testament to the hard work and expertise of our surgical team, and we remain committed to advancing surgical excellence and patient outcomes through continuous improvement and innovation."

The program provides timely access to care, with only seven to nine per cent of patients identified as long waiters, compared to Ontario Health’s regional target of 20 per cent. The program has also converted 70 per cent of cases to same-day surgeries, which allow patients to recover in the comfort of their own home, while freeing up time and space for additional cases and hospital admissions. The program is further streamlining its process so it can send even more joint replacement patients home the same day, by using indwelling pain catheters that can go home with them.

Marguerite is grateful for the amazing care she received.

“Patient care is always the program’s number one focus. By always evaluating our processes, procedures and how we operationalize the program, we bring efficiencies, highest quality care, and move the patient to the centre of all we do,” says Erin Landry, Director of Oak Valley Health’s Surgical Services Program.

This year, the program partnered with Novari Health, which allows surgeons’ offices to book surgeries in real time. The program also partnered with SeamlessMD, which provides patients with 24/7 access to education, resource materials, and reminders, including a dashboard where they can share their journey with the Oak Valley Health team.

Erin says the program plans to further advance its technologies through robotic-assisted and robotic surgeries, allowing for “more accurate and less invasive surgeries, better outcomes, and faster recoveries.”

As for Marguerite, she fully recovered from her shoulder replacement surgery in two months and is now walking, doing spinning and Pilates classes, and looking into joining a pickleball group. And she’s planning another visit to Paris. “I was very determined to get my life back,” she says. “I’m active and I’m pain free. I am so grateful for the amazing care I received.”

“Patient care is always the program’s number one focus. By always evaluating our processes, procedures and how we operationalize the program, we bring efficiencies, highest quality care, and move the patient to the centre of all we do.”
— Erin
“From the minute I walked in the door until I left, I was met with courteous, professional, and very competent staff. There was a wonderful feeling of teamwork and respect for each other and for the patients. Having worked for more than 30 years in business, I know this simply doesn’t happen by chance.”
— Marguerite

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PO Box 1800
Markham, ON L3P 7P3

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