Reading Hospital has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® for Advanced Total Hip and Knee Replacement Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with Joint Commission performance standards. The certification is effective through November 2021. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization's commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
Reading Hospital underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with Advanced Total Hip and Knee Replacement Accreditation standards spanning several areas including infection rates, fall rates, patient education prior to discharge, length of stay, early ambulation, and pain management.
The Joint Commission's standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts, and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews. The Total Hip and Knee Replacement certification program must meet core standards plus additional, clinically relevant requirements. The Advanced certification program goes beyond Certification, requiring additional depth and detail.
"This distinction recognizes the dedication and excellence of our joint replacement and orthopedic staff," says Stephen Longenecker, MD, Medical Director, Reading Hospital Joint Care Center. "Reading Hospital performs more than 1,300 hip and knee replacements each year in one of the most technologically advanced surgical centers in the region. Receiving the Advanced certification shows that we meet the absolute highest standards in providing orthopedic care."
"As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission surveys health care organizations to protect the public by identifying deficiencies in care and working with those organizations to correct them as quickly and sustainably as possible," says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. "We commend Reading Hospital for its continuous quality improvement efforts in patient safety and quality of care."
This is the fifth year Reading Hospital has earned the Joint Commission's Total Hip and Knee Replacement Accreditation. Reading Hospital first received the Advanced certification in September 2011.
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.