Learn more about this Carrum member’s knee surgery

When asked why we at Carrum do what we do, it doesn’t take us long to answer. It’s because of members like Scott, who shares his knee surgery story below. Being able to help free Scott from his persistent knee pain, allowing him to enjoy his summer vacation with his family and return to his job (for which he spends a lot of time on his feet) fills us with joy and purpose. Thank you for sharing your story with us, Scott!

Scott’s knee surgery story—in his own words

Written by Carrum member Scott Springer

With a jam-packed college sports reporting schedule with the University of Cincinnati as The Cincinnati Enquirer beat writer, a bum knee wasn’t the most convenient thing to have this past football and basketball season.

I lead an active lifestyle and long-term wear and tear on my knee made it really painful to do everyday activities and hampered my mobility. Though not a competitive runner, I’ve run for exercise most of my life in addition to the occasional race.

By last football season, going for a morning jog, then standing through a two-hour practice was taking its toll. Having had knee surgery two previous times, but not for the last 22 years, I was trying cortisone shots, but it became evident that was not a good long-term solution. 

Midway through the basketball season, I came to the conclusion along with my oldest son, who is a head football athletic trainer at a major university, that knee surgery was the best option. He felt shots and other methods were merely a “Band-Aid” approach.

Thankfully, we had some experience in the knee surgery department.

My wife, a pharmacist for a major retail chain, holds our insurance coverage and her employer offers the Carrum Health benefit for surgical and cancer care. Just a year before, she used Carrum to get reconstructive surgery on her left knee. Carrum connected her with an outstanding facility, an expert surgeon and responsive medical staff, and travel and incidental expenses were covered.

So, when it was determined that my right knee required the same procedure, we had some insight as to what we would face. In my case, I basically had a two-month window in which I could have the procedure due to upcoming travel in June followed by the next season’s grind come July.

Once I reached out to Carrum, they graciously helped expedite everything as much as possible. Through the help of a patient care concierge who helped coordinate things with the hospital, I didn’t have to wait a month or more as anticipated. Through persistence on both sides, I was able to get my knee surgery by a top doctor (Dr. Marc Schneider) at Christ Hospital, right here in Cincinnati (just 10 miles from my home!) working in concert with Carrum.

I followed all the procedural requirements sent from Carrum Health via email and their portal and had a helpful patient rep (Marjorie) who was always a pleasure to speak with or communicate with electronically.

The procedure went fine, and four weeks later the physical therapists are happy with my progress. I’m happy to report I’m walking without a cane after a month, and I’m able to drive. This makes me happy as I’m a pretty independent guy who doesn’t particularly care to be stuck in the house.

I expect more improvement and enough mobility to travel without pain soon. This is a major relief as we had a trip planned prior to the knee surgery and I pretty much dive into my busy schedule by mid-summer.

Without the professionalism of Carrum Health and their assistance, I could still be waiting on a procedure, unable to enjoy what few weeks I get to myself. I would recommend their services as they take care of everything from the billing to the medical care. There was no detailed hospital bill that I had to check, so that worry was eliminated.

Should you need a medical procedure that Carrum Health is involved with, you should rest easy knowing you’ll be in expert hands.

– Scott

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. No material is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.