Bone and Joint Clinic Maintains Framework

This story appear in the Spring 2014 issue of Heart to Heart, which can found online by clicking here. 

COVINGTON - From youth sports injuries to osteoarthritis, bone and joint conditions can be painful and debilitating. Joint discomfort is also widespread: Some 50 million Americans have been told by a physician that they have arthritis, gout or other joint-related conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

St. Tammany Parish Hospital expanded the scope and expertise of its orthopaedic services by adding the experienced orthopaedic practice of Mark J. Hontas MD and Roch B. Hontas MD, now the Bone and Joint Clinic at St. Tammany Parish Hospital.

The pair of orthopaedic surgeons has provided expert diagnoses and treatment of joint-related conditions on the Northshore for nearly 30 years.

The hospital’s partnership with the Hontas brothers expands the scope and ease of patient access to highly experienced orthopaedic specialists within the hospital network. Benefits include streamlined patient registration into the hospital system and improved communication between clinic and hospital healthcare providers through better, faster access to patient medical records.

“This is about putting the patient at the center of care,” said Dionne Williams, physician practices administrator.

The Bone and Joint Clinic at STPH provides the full range of orthopaedic care, from knee and hip replacements to treatment of acute injuries from sports or other activities. The goal of treatment for each patient is to ease pain or discomfort and to help the patient return to normal daily activities, Dr. Roch Hontas said.

“Our goal is to get the patient back to their normal activity level as quickly as possible,” he said.

New diagnostic technology and less invasive orthoscopic procedures have accelerated patient recovery times after joint-related procedures, he said. And exercise can be helpful in easing joint pain and preventing injury. Even moderate exercise improves the strength and flexibility of the muscles that support and protect the joints.

Exercise has the added substantial benefit of improving overall health by strengthening the heart muscle and lowering blood pressure, Dr. Roch Hontas said.

The clinic remains located at 71211 Highway 21, Suite A, in Covington, less than a mile from the main STPH campus. Their phone number remains 985-893-9922.

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A full-service acute care facility committed to providing world-class healthcare and the latest technology, St. Tammany Parish Hospital delivers today’s life-improving procedures with the utmost care to area residents with emphasis on wellness, preventive care and disease management close to home. STPH is a self-supporting not-for-profit community hospital; it receives no tax funding. STPH.org