MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement.
WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals’ joint replacement program is one of 25 programs nationwide and the first in West Virginia to become certified in advanced total hip and knee replacement.
The Advanced Certification was developed by The Joint Commission in 2016 and involves a significantly more rigorous and comprehensive review than the standard certification, which the program previously held. Programs are evaluated on the quality, consistency, and safety of their services and patient care.
The WVU Medicine Center for Joint Replacement underwent an intense two-day onsite review in November. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with advanced disease-specific care standards and total hip and total knee replacement requirements, including orthopaedic consultation and pre-operative, intraoperative, and post-surgical orthopaedic surgeon follow-up care.
“Our joint replacement program is a true team concept,” Brock Lindsey, M.D., director of the Center for Joint Replacement, said. “From the house staff through the surgeons, everyone involved with the Center for Joint Replacement is fully engaged and knows their role on the team. The Joint Commission was very impressed by that.”
“This designation from the Joint Commission places WVU Medicine on the national level in joint replacement surgery,” Albert Wright, president and CEO of West Virginia University Health System, said. “We are holding ourselves to exceedingly high advanced certification measures and constantly challenging ourselves to be leaders on a national scale.”
Established in 2016 and awarded for a two-year period, the advanced certification was developed in response to the growing number of patients undergoing a total hip or total knee replacement surgery, as well as the increased focus on clinical evidence-based patient care as it relates to pain management, quality of life issues, functional limitation in mobility, and the return to normal daily activities.
“Achieving Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Certification recognizes WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals’ commitment to provide care in a safe and efficient manner for patients,” said Patrick Phelan, interim executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission. “The advanced certification will help WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals better provide coordinated and comprehensive care to patients undergoing a total hip or total knee replacement.”
The Joint Commission
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve healthcare for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating healthcare organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 21,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.