| STAMFORD, CT - September 29, 2009 Stamford Hospital's Orthopedic Services have earned Joint Commission certification for the Total Hip and Total Knee programs. The hospital now offers the only Joint Commission-certified Joint Replacement program in Lower Fairfield and Westchester Counties.
The Joint Commission awarded the program the Gold Seal of Approval™ for complying with the highest national standards for safety and quality of care. To earn this distinction, the Total Hip and Total Knee programs have undergone extensive on-site evaluations by a Joint Commission reviewer. The programs will also be reviewed on-site every two years to maintain this certification.
"We are very proud to receive this certification as it officially recognizes the highest level of surgical services and patient care that our staff provides to the community," said Rudolph Taddonio, M.D., Chief of Orthopedic Surgery. "The certification also means that we will continue improving the safety and quality of care of our programs by evaluating their performance, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcomes."
The Joint Replacement program provides comprehensive orthopedic and neurosurgery services, including prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. The hospital's experienced fellowship-trained surgeons perform total hip and knee replacements, as well as minimally invasive joint replacements and hip fracture surgeries, using the latest technology available to improve patient care and outcomes. The team of surgeons, nurses and rehabilitation specialists work with each patient to develop an individualized treatment plan.
The program is uniquely equipped with a dedicated clinical nurse coordinator, who guides patients through the entire process, ensuring they are ready for the surgery and recovery ahead. Additionally, pre-operative education classes are offered to better inform and prepare the patients.
"It is our strongest desire to exceed the standard in our 'quality of care' and 'quality of our caring,'" said Vicki Hoffman, Director of the Orthopedic Institute. "This is an elective surgery and patients are often anxious; therefore, our clinical nurse coordinator facilitates the weekly pre-operative class and easies those anxieties by providing patients with educational materials so that they know how to prepare and what to expect during their hospitalization and recovering period."
Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. More information about the Joint Commission and a list of certified programs are available at www.jointcommission.org.
Stamford Hospital is a not-for-profit provider of comprehensive healthcare services in lower Fairfield County and the region. The mission of Stamford Hospital is to provide, together with its physicians, a broad range of high quality health and wellness services focused on the needs of our communities. Stamford Hospital is a Magnet Hospital and a member of the Planetree Alliance, a group of hospitals nationwide focused on patient-centered care. Stamford Hospital is affiliated with New York Presbyterian Health System and is a major teaching affiliate of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
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