A Five-Star Experience: Shari’s Outpatient Joint Replacement Journey at the Stamford ASC

A decades-long ONS patient, Shari turned to Dr. Jonathan Berliner when it became clear she needed a right hip replacement. She described Dr. Berliner as patient, attentive, and reassuring, helping her feel confident about her decision to move forward with surgery. After meeting with him, Shari chose to have her procedure at the Stamford Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC), appreciating the calm, patient-centered environment of a surgery center over the hospital.

From the moment her surgery was scheduled, Shari said the process was exceptional.

“Becky Cyr, Nurse Navigator, and Tara O’Connor, Total Joint Program Coordinator, were incredible,” she shared. “From our first phone calls to in-person visits, they were friendly, patient, and organized. Becky made me feel completely at ease before surgery and checked in with me afterward, and Tara guided me through every step — even helping to confirm my insurance coverage for physical therapy.”

Shari also credited two aspects of her care for making recovery far smoother than she anticipated — the RECK cocktail (opioid bridge) and the iceless compression therapy machine.

“These were absolute game changers,” she said. “My pain level never went above a 3 or 4 out of 10, and I never needed to take prescription pain medication. Between the comfort of the ASC experience, the RECK protocol, and the compression therapy, recovery was so much easier than I expected.”

Following surgery, Shari began her rehabilitation with Alicia Hirscht, ONS Physical Therapist and Director of Physical Therapy, who guided her through a personalized recovery program focused on mobility, strength, and confidence.

She described the entire team as reliable, caring, and truly focused on their patients, praising every part of the process as exceptional.