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The Joint Commission has awarded its Gold Seal of Approval to Tucson, Ariz-based Carondelet St Joseph’s Hospital, for the facility’s knee, hip, ankle, and shoulder total-joint replacement programs. The Joint Commission confirms that the facility is the first in the United States to receive the seal for all four programs.

As part of its decision to award certification, an on-site review by Joint Commission experts verified several key aspects of the programs, according to a media release from Carondelet Health Network. One aspect of each program under focus by the experts was the use of evidence-based, standardized care designed for joint-replacement patients, including those with other chronic conditions.

Another area on which the commission’s experts focused was the provision of education about the procedure for patients, their families, and caregivers. The facility’s commitment to collect and submit data regularly about patient outcomes also was a key focus of the review, according to the media release.

Edward Berghausen, MD, medical co-director of the hospital’s Joint Replacement Center, states that patients want to know they will receive safe care and a qualified surgeon. “Wouldn’t you want to know your surgeon has one of the lowest rates of infection in the country?” Berghausen asks. “We’re putting our results out there for everyone to see.”

Michele Sacco, MS, interim executive director, Certification Programs, points out that certification is a voluntary process.

The Carondelet Joint Replacement Center at St Joseph’s Hospital opened in 2013.

[Source: Carondelet Health Network, The Joint Commission]