Distinctly Montana Magazine

35 w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m BENEFIS HEALTH SYSTEM FREE FULL-PAGE AD IN THE WINTER, 2025-26 ISSUE. CAN BE COMBINED WITH OUR OTHER FULL-PAGE AD IN THIS ISSUE TO CREATE A 2-PAGE SPREAD AT NO ADDITIONAL COST "But Dr. Dukes said I would be just fine, and he was right. I walked out of the surgery center the same day," Jacob said. "I wasn't in enough pain to need anything more than Tylenol." Jacob reported a significant reduction in the pain he had been experiencing before surgery, and that his quality of life was improving significantly just one week after his second surgery. "I'm going to be able to move again." While some patients are nervous about using narcotic pain medications, the fear of breaking what amounts to a medical tradition can also make patients anxious. Austen Sparrow is a physician assistant in orthopedics at Benefis Helena Specialty Center. She and Dr. Dukes have worked together since 2023. Austen works with patients before and after surgical procedures and also assists in the operating room. "I'd say we get overwhelmingly positive feedback from patients, even those who were nervous going into surgery," she says. "But they follow our protocol, and they come back at their first post-op visit and they are very grateful that we did not prescribe narcotics. They are very impressed with how they handled the recovery process without extra medication." Dr. Dukes and Austen estimate that more than 95% of their surgical patients successfully complete a narcotic-free post-op recovery. They engage in thorough and clear conversations with patients beforehand to set expectations. "Surgery hurts, period," Dr. Dukes says. "Three to five days after surgery, your pain is the worst because the inflammation and swelling peak during that time, but after you make it past that point, you become much more comfortable. That overall pattern doesn't change whether you use narcotics or not." Dr. Dukes saw the potential of a "better way" for patients when he started developing his protocol years ago, and the proof came through satisfied patients and successful surgical outcomes. "It changes your perspective on what's possible with surgery," he says, "and you feel good about providing a service to people that aligns with some of their values and assuages some of their fears and provides an overall large benefit to society." A tradition of advanced care. Learn more at Benefis.org

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