First Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Awarded

The Joint Commission announces Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, is the first hospital in the United States to achieve Joint Commission Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement. The advanced certification means Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is committed to providing care in a safe and efficient manner for its patients undergoing a total joint replacement of the hip or knee.

Joint Commission reviewers visited the hospital on April 7, 2016, and conducted a rigorous onsite evaluation of its procedures associated with the orthopedic consultation, pre-operative procedures, intraoperative and post-surgical care of the patient, and orthopedic surgeon follow-up care. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital demonstrated it is complying with the requirements of the certification. Achieving advanced certification provides Thomas Jefferson University Hospital an unparalleled advantage when it comes to providing coordinated and comprehensive care that addresses patient needs from the time of their initial consultation to their post-surgical follow-up care.

“Providing cutting-edge, quality care to our patients is a top priority at Jefferson, and we are honored to be recognized by The Joint Commission for the exceptional advancements in performing joint replacements at our organization,” said Dr. Alexander R. Vaccaro, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, the Richard H. Rothman Professor and Chair of Orthopedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

“I applaud Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for its commitment to providing excellent care to patients and pursuing this rigorous certification,” said Wendi Roberts, RN, BA, MS, CLNC, executive director of certification, The Joint Commission. “We developed this program due to growth in the number of patients undergoing total hip or total knee replacement surgeries. The goal is to increase focus on clinical evidence-based patient care as it relates to pain management, quality of life issues faced by patients in need of joint replacement, functional limitations in mobility and to help them return to normal daily activities. By being the first to pursue certification, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is helping us to lead the way to better quality care.”

Joint Commission Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement focuses on:

• The continuum of care and all transitions that occur within each phase of care beginning with the orthopedic consultation through the postoperative phase and follow-up visit with the orthopedic surgeon.
• Education of the total hip and total knee replacement patient in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases. Education should address comorbid assessments, risk factors, postoperative rehabilitation and discharge planning.
• Shared decision-making that includes the patient throughout the continuum of care.
• Consistent communication and collaboration between all health care providers involved in the care of the patients throughout the continuum of care.

Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement is available to Joint Commission-accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory surgery centers and is awarded for a two-year period. Organizations interested in Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement may request an application. For more information, please email [email protected] or call (630) 792-5291.