Regional Hospital First In State To Earn Four Orthopedic Certifications
12/17/2015
SCRANTON, Pa. (Dec. 18)– By recently earning The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval ® for Hip Fracture Certification, Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital of Scranton has become the first hospital in the state to earn all four orthopedic certifications – hip fracture, shoulder replacement, knee replacement, and hip replacement.
Brooks Turkel, CEO of Regional Hospital, said the distinction is an honor for the hospital and its staff and is evidence of the excellent care that is provided in the region.
“We are proud that Regional Hospital is identified by The Joint Commission as a facility that demonstrates expertise in hip fracture surgery,” Turkel said. “Being the first in the state to attain all four certifications is evidence that residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania do not have to leave the area to receive the best available care in orthopedics.”
Regional underwent a rigorous on-site review by the Joint Commission experts who evaluated compliance with hip fracture-specific requirements. Clinical practice guidelines and performance measures also were assessed.
Established in 2002 and awarded for a two-year period, The Joint Commission’s certification evaluates clinical programs across the continuum of care and addresses three core areas:
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Compliance with consensus-based national standards;
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Effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care; and
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An organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.
"Regional Hospital has thoroughly demonstrated a high level of care for patients who undergo hip fracture surgery,” said Wendi J. Roberts, RN, executive director, certification programs, The Joint Commission. “We commend Regional Hospital for becoming a leader in orthopedic care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for patients in its community.”
In 2013, and again in November of 2015, Regional Hospital was named a Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement by Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, becoming the only hospital in Northeastern Pennsylvania to hold the designation. Regional is also an Aetna Orthopedic Center of Excellence in hip and knee replacement.
Regional Hospital of Scranton has one of the largest total joint replacement programs in Northeastern Pennsylvania, performing more than 500 procedures each year, while maintaining a consistently low infection rate.
“This recent certification proves the commitment Regional Hospital of Scranton has to excellence in providing patient care,” Dr. Theodore Tomaszewski,
Regional orthopedic surgeon, said. “The fact that we invite an outside surveyor to critique our program speaks to this commitment to quality. Anyone with a parent in a nursing home, or anyone who falls and has hip pain, should request transport to Regional Hospital to experience this commitment to quality patient care.”
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