Good Samaritan Searching for Prospective Patient to Benefit From No-Cost Joint Replacement Surgery

KEARNEY–Many Americans live with painful hip or knee arthritis, making even simple daily activities a challenge. While joint replacement surgery is often highly effective at relieving pain and restoring mobility, the cost can put it out of reach for those without insurance.

CHI Health Good Samaritan and Dr. John Wright, in partnership with Operation Walk USA, are hoping to restore mobility and improve the quality of life for an uninsured individual by offering a hip or knee replacement surgery at no cost to one eligible local patient. Dr. Wright, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with over 25 years of experience performing hip and knee replacements, will be donating his time and skills to perform the procedure.

“Serving the health of our community, especially the most vulnerable, is the very heartbeat of our mission,” says Dr. Wright. “The ability to transform a patient’s quality of life with joint replacement never ceases to amaze me. Joint replacement is one of modern medicine’s miracles. Witnessing so many patients break free from debilitating pain makes it inconceivable to me that anyone should have to continue to suffer from severe, life-limiting arthritis and compromised mobility.”

To be considered, a patient must:

-Be in need of a hip or knee replacement surgery
-Be 18 years of age or older
-Be a US citizen or legal permanent resident
-Be completely uninsured (no private, state or federal insurance)
-Have proven income within or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines 

Patients who meet Operation Walk USA criteria are invited to contact CHI Health Clinic Orthopedics (Good Samaritan) at 308-865-2600 to learn more.

In 2019, Dr. Wright, in partnership with CHI Health Good Samaritan, performed Nebraska’s first Operation Walk USA charitable hip replacement surgery. The uninsured patient had suffered from a congenital hip defect for 51 years. Following the procedure, the patient reported complete pain relief and, for the first time, was able to walk without a profoundly uneven gait. He was excited to play ball with his grandchildren and hunt with his wife.

For more information about the Federal Poverty Guidelines, visit: https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines

For more about Operation Walk USA, visit:  https://www.operationwalkusa.org/

The mission of Operation Walk USA is to encourage and enable joint replacement surgeons to restore mobility and improve quality of life for uninsured patients in the United States who suffer from disabling arthritis of the hip or knee. Operation Walk USA provides all aspects of treatment – surgery, hospitalization, and pre- and post-operative care – at no cost to qualifying patients.

Arthritic disease is the most common cause of disability in the U.S., affecting approximately 48 million Americans, or more than 21 percent of the adult population. Hip and knee replacement surgeries are the most cost-effective and successful of all orthopaedic procedures, eliminating pain and allowing patients to resume active, productive lives. While more than one million hip and knee replacements are performed in the US every year, countless men and women continue to live with severe arthritic pain and immobility because they do not have insurance and cannot afford the surgery.

Impact of Operation Walk USA since its inception in 2011:

Total Patients Helped–945; In-Kind Services Donation Valuer–$26,100,000; Average Annual Participation–21 States, 25 Hospitals, 55 Surgeons, 72 Patients