patient information
& resources

Below are tabs to help you know what to expect during your visit, whether you’re a new patient, or a returning patient preparing for surgery, or in the recovery process.

 

If you have additional questions, please call our office at 843-681-5077 and our staff will be happy to help you.

 

We’ve also included a “Patient Education” tab with links to pages we suggest for reading and informational purposes.
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APPOINTMENTS/CANCELLATION

Please call the office to make an appointment in advance. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please call us as far in advance as possible so we may use that time to see another patient in need of care. We make a sincere effort to adhere to our appointment schedule and appreciate your patience if we are late due to emergencies or hospital surgery.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO MY APPOINTMENT?

If you are a new patient, please complete and submit the online patient registration form prior to your upcoming appointment.

In order for us to better serve you, it is very important that you bring the following on your first visit:

  •      Photo identification
  •      Your health insurance card and co-pay
  •      List of current medications
  •      Any and all previous x-ray, MRI, CT, or bone scans
  •      Your referring physician and primary care physician’s name, address and phone number
  •      A list of your questions and concerns
  •      Patients under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian
  •      **New Patients: Please complete and submit (email or fax) the patient registration prior to your scheduled appointment
  •      Completed patient forms
  •      Review AAOS website for possible information about your condition

“Excellent care. Took time to explain in detail what was going on. Even walked through MRI and x-ray results showing before and after and educated me by way of the tests. He came very highly recommended and I agree.” 

Gavin Orthopaedics accepts most major insurance plans. 

Please call your insurance company prior to arrival to see if we are in network, so as to avoid out of network charges.

Is a co-pay required for follow up visits?

Your insurance policy determines whether or not you have a co-pay for your follow up visits; however, under most insurance policies a co-pay is due at each visit.

We make every effort to decrease the cost of your medical care. Therefore, we request payment arrangements for all office services at the time they are rendered unless prior arrangements have been made.

We accept cash, checks, and all major credit cards for your convenience.

If we are a participating provider of your insurance company, we will bill them. However, payment is the patient’s responsibility. We will help in any way we can to assist you in handling claims.

At Gavin Orthopaedics , transparency is critical.  That is why we have listed our self-pay rates and have expanded access to our Patient Portals.

Self Pay Rates:
The level of your visit will depend on the complexity of your injury/pain.

Level 1 visit for New Patient: $100.00 plus the cost of X-Ray if needed
Level 2 visit for New Patient: $120.00  plus the cost of X-Ray if needed
Level 3 visit for New Patient: $150.00  plus the cost of X-Ray if needed
Level 4 visit for New Patient: $200.00  plus the cost of X-Ray if needed

Level 1 visit for Established Patient: $60.00  plus the cost of X-Ray if needed
Level 2 visit for Established Patient: $80.00  plus the cost of X-Ray if needed
Level 3 visit for Established Patient: $100.00  plus the cost of X-Ray if needed
Level 4 visit for Established Patient: $120.00  plus the cost of X-Ray if needed

X-Ray prices range from $40.00 to $70.00 depending on the body part.

Cortisone injections are $85 per joint.

Application of short arm cast: $100.00
Application of long arm cast: $130.00
Application of short arm splint: $70.00
Application of long arm splint: $95.00
Application of finger splint: $60.00
Application of short leg cast: $100.00

Every patient will pay for an office visit plus x-ray. If the patient requires an injection, casting, or additional treatment, that will be an additional cost.

Although Dr. Gavin will review more detailed instructions pre/post surgery, these are some most common protocols:

Before your surgery, Dr. Gavin will give you instructions concerning food and liquids. It is very important that you follow these directions, so the surgery or procedure may proceed as planned.

Do not drink alcoholic beverages 24 hours prior to surgery. It is never a good idea to smoke, but it is especially important that you do not smoke after midnight prior to having surgery. Smoking can cause gastric secretions that interfere with the anesthetic you take to go to sleep during surgery. It is also a good idea not to smoke after surgery as it can impede healing. It is never a good idea to take illegal drugs, but it is vitally important not to take them within 24 hours of your surgery.

Several weeks before your surgery, ask Dr. Gavin if you should stop taking:

  •      Medications that contain aspirin, Advil, Motrin, Aleve (naproxen), ibuprofen or Tylenol (acetaminophen)
  •      Anticoagulants such as Coumadin, Plavix, Lovenox, and Heparin
  •      Allergy medications
  •      Herbs and vitamins
  •      Birth control pills

Here are some other pre-surgery instructions you need to follow:

  •     Bring a written list of the medications you are taking, as well as the dosages and frequency with which you take these medications.
  •      Shower or bathe no more than 12 hours prior to your surgery.
  •      If possible, obtain prescriptions for post-operative medications before surgery, have them filled, and begin taking them as soon you get home.
  •      If you are having outpatient surgery, ask your surgeon’s office whether you should make your postoperative appointments before your surgery or right after your surgery.
  •      If you are being admitted to the hospital after surgery, make your postoperative appointments at the time you are discharged.
  •      If you develop a cold, fever, or other illness prior to your procedure, contact your surgeon’s office. Your surgery may need to be rescheduled.
  •      Arrange to have a responsible adult accompany you the day of surgery, remain in the hospital during your surgery, and, if you are an outpatient, take you home after your surgery. If you are an inpatient, arrange to have a responsible adult take you home when you are discharged.
  •      Have the responsible adult who accompanies you hold on to your eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aid, and/or jewelry while you are in surgery.

Pre Surgery Checklist

  •      No jewelry is being worn
  •      A responsible adult is accompanying you and a ride home has been arranged
  •      Instructions for not eating/drinking have been followed
  •      Special wipes or soaps have been used to cleanse site of surgery (if instructed by surgeon)

Dr. Gavin will provide you with detailed instructions to follow at home. Please follow them carefully to assure a smooth recovery. Here are some general guidelines:

  •      Never drive an automobile, operate dangerous machinery, or undertake any responsible business matters on the same day as your surgery or procedure.
  •      You will be able to shower but not bathe. If you have drains or open wounds, you may need to take sponge baths initially.
  •      You should avoid any heavy lifting. Your surgeon’s office can provide a weight limit.
  •      You will be assigned exercises designed to speed your recovery.

*HIGH FEVER, UNUSUAL REDNESS OR PAIN?*
Notify Dr. Gavin’s (843-681-5077) office immediately if you experience any bleeding or drainage from the operative site, have unusual redness or pain, or start running a temperature higher than 101°. Be on the lookout for other “danger signals” to which your surgeon may alert you.

Recovering in the Hospital:

  • Physical Therapy: The recovery process will be an active one. You will begin working with a physical therapist the day after surgery. This is an important part of your recovery that will allow you to achieve maximum mobility and get back to your normal activities as soon as possible.
  • After 1 to 4 days of recovery: After 1 to 4 days of recovery, Dr. Gavin will provide you with detailed instructions to follow at home. Please follow them carefully to assure a smooth recovery. You will likely be discharged with a prescription for pain medicine and a prescription for physical therapy.

Final Follow-up:
Dr. Gavin will schedule a return visit to his office for you, in order to check your progress after surgery and confirm that you are healing well. Arrange to have a responsible adult escort you to your first Post-Op visit.

Prescriptions

In order for Dr. Gavin to refill a prescription, please fill out the following form completely.  We will confirm the details and phone in the refill to the specified pharmacy.

Gavin Orthopaedics makes every effort to fill prescriptions within 24 hours of receiving the request.   If you submit a request after hours, on a holiday, or on the weekends, it will be addressed on the next business day, so please plan accordingly so as to not run out of medication.  Thank you for your understanding.

For your convenience we have provided the following form for you to print out and email or fax (843) 681- 5012 to our office.

Prescription Renewal

The Sport & Spine Institute was founded by some of the Hilton Head Island’s leading healthcare professionals who recognize a gap in services where patients could receive high quality, all-in-one orthopedic health care catering to athletic injuries, musculoskeletal disorders and spinal problems.

The Sport & Spine Institute is committed to providing convenient, comprehensive orthopedic care in a compassionate, patient focused environment.

Committed to Saving the Patient and Healthcare System Time and Money.

To read more please download the brochure: The Sport & Spine Institute »

PATIENT EDUCATION REFERENCES

An informed patient is a great patient, and you’ll be able to find a wealth of information about orthopedics-related health, procedures and recovery by clicking the link below:

Click to display the AAOS Reference Library

This is orthopedic information you can trust, with up-to-date, authoritative and peer-reviewed information from members of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

Other Helpful Links

The following are additional links to web sites we suggest for further reading & information, as well as links to our affiliates:

AAOS (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Arthritis Foundation
Zimmer Biomet
Oxford Knee
Outpatient Surgery Center of Hilton Head
AAOS Ortho Info
Hilton Head Hospital
Moss Creek Urgent Care
Okatie Riverwalk Urgent Care
Interactive Patient from AAOS
Sport  & Spine Institute
Synvisc One
WebMD

CUTTING EDGE TECHNIQUES IN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
“Cutting Edge Techniques In Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine.”
By J. Robert Gavin Jr. MD
May 28, 2013

Your arm or shoulder has been hurting for weeks. That “pop” you heard in your knee is starting to bother you. Maybe that last tennis match or shooting some hoops has left you wondering if you may have torn or damaged cartilage.

When people think of seeing an orthopaedic specialist, they immediately think of surgery. Fortunately, many orthopaedic and sports medicine problems can be corrected with conservative treatments such as physical therapy, injections, bracing, rest or activity modification. If these nonsurgical treatments fail, below are brief descriptions of several of the latest techniques which have been proven to increase both patient satisfaction and results with surgery.

1) Subcondroplasty – Although the knee is one of the strongest joints in the body, inflammation inside the bone of the knee can cause serious pain. After determination by clinical examination and MRI, subcondroplasty, a minimally invasive surgery may be recommended. This surgery consists of creating an access portal into the bone and filling the area with a bone substitute that sets and rejuvenates new, healthy bone to replace the defect.

2) Knotless Rotator Cuff Repair – This procedure gives the ability to save time and eliminate the possibility of shoulder pain due to knot impingement. Knotless sutures consistently provide a more dependable strength, especially for more robust repairs as opposed to traditional techniques. Larger tears may be more solidly fixated using double row knotless anchors.

3) Personalized Total and Partial Knee Replacement – With a total knee replacement, the entire surface has to be removed, but with a partial you get to keep up to 75% of your healthy knee-for a more rapid recovery with less pain and a more natural motion. The “Personalized” knee replacement technique is based upon your specific anatomy for the best fit. In addition to X-rays, an MRI of your knee is utilized, in conjunction with computer software creating a 3D image of your unique knee joint. This greater level of detail and precision allows for more patient specific positioning of knee implants.

4) Robotics and Technology – The future of orthopaedics and sports medicine will be on the focus of techniques which enhance accuracy and efficiency, such as robotics. These surgeon guided machines may increase exact precision and consistent reproducibility for technically difficult procedures. For example, surgeons use some robots to pre-operatively plan and map the areas of diseased bone to be removed. During surgery, 3-D visualization and a robotic arm provide the surgeon with visual, tactile, and auditory feedback so only diseased bone is resurfaced, sparing healthy bone stock. Some of the benefits include a more “natural” feeling knee after surgery and most importantly a rapid relief from pain and shorter hospital stay.

At Gavin Orthopaedics, only after conservative treatments fail, my goal is to successfully treat your injuries with the most current, proven procedures and minimize your time away from the sports and lifestyle you love.

“…I have seen several doctors here and one at Duke but my knee now says I have never been treated by anyone as effective as you. For someone as active as I have been it is a real blessing to again be able to play my game of golf without any knee pain. Will soon be in again to see you regarding my left hip. A happy patient.” RCB

PATIENT TESTIMONIALS

We strive to continually improve our services and professionalism at Gavin Orthopaedics.

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