Sarah Bush Lincoln has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Total Hip and Knee Replacement Certification by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
The certification recognizes healthcare organizations that provide clinical programs across the continuum of care for total hip and knee replacement. It evaluates how organizations use clinical outcomes and performance measures to identify opportunities to improve care, as well as to educate and prepare patients and their caregivers for discharge.
Sarah Bush Lincoln underwent a rigorous, virtual review in October. During the visit, a Joint Commission reviewer evaluated compliance with related certification standards including program management, and delivering and facilitating clinical care. The Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement experts and patients.
“Total Hip and Knee Replacement Certification recognizes healthcare organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission, said. “We commend Sarah Bush Lincoln for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for total hip and knee joint replacement patients.”
SBL President and CEO Jerry Esker said, “We have the largest orthopedic group in the region and perform nearly 1,400 total knee and hip replacements for local people and others who travel from throughout the wider area for these procedures. Our surgical, orthopedic and quality teams worked together to achieve this certification, and we are all very proud of the work they have accomplished.”
Erica Stollard, SBL Quality Director, explained that an interdisciplinary team was developed to reviews all knee and hip replacement operations. It serves as a living tool for continuous improvement, and if needed, it creates action plans for improvement. Operational improvements included the further development and deployment of bone and joint class so people are better prepared for surgery and understand what to expect. Additionally orthopedic surgeons standardized their clinical practice guidelines to align with evidence-based medicine to provide high-quality total hip and total knee replacement care.
For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website.