From left: Peter McCann, MD; Leesa M. Galatz, MD; and Steven F. Harwin, MD
Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Beth Israel have earned The Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement, joining an elite group of institutions nationwide that have earned this highest recognition for quality and safety.
The Joint Commission established Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement in 2016 in response to growing demand, due to an aging population and expanding clinical indications for the procedure, along with an increased focus by physicians on helping patients manage pain, improve their quality of life, and return to everyday activities. The Advanced Certification is for two years.
Each year, nearly 700,000 total hip and knee replacements are performed in the United States. The surgery is among the most common performed, and the number of procedures is expected to quadruple by 2030, according to The Joint Commission.
Evan L. Flatow, MD
“This achievement points out our quality and exceptional orthopedic care,” says Leesa M. Galatz, MD, Mount Sinai Professor of Orthopaedics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Chair of the Leni and Peter W. May Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “We are dedicated to giving patients top-level orthopedic care throughout the Mount Sinai Health System.”
The Joint Commission conducted site visits at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Beth Israel that focused on all aspects of the total hip and knee replacement process, including pre-admission testing, operating room holding, the operating room, post-anesthesia care, services in the inpatient rehabilitation unit, and home care arrangements.
To prepare for the visits, the hospitals implemented a vast collaborative effort involving physicians, nursing, physician assistants, social workers, and staff from rehabilitation medicine, the quality improvement subcommittee, food and nutrition, and environmental services.
Michael J. Bronson, MD
“Mount Sinai West staff demonstrated exemplary teamwork to showcase our commitment to providing the highest level of care,” says Evan L. Flatow, MD, President, Mount Sinai West, and Bernard J. Lasker Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery. “We congratulate all involved in this remarkable achievement and look forward to continuously improving patient safety and quality of care.”
Michael J. Bronson, MD, Chair, Orthopaedic Surgery at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, says the certification “shows that Mount Sinai West provides an exceedingly high level of care in every parameter of joint replacement when it comes to positive outcomes, low complication rates, and high patient satisfaction.”
“The quality of hip and knee replacement surgeries can vary greatly among hospitals, and our exceptional performance will help us differentiate our program,” says Steven F. Harwin, MD, who was Chief of Adult Reconstruction and Total Joint Replacement at Mount Sinai Beth Israel when The Joint Commission conducted the review. Dr. Harwin, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, recently joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Mount Sinai West.
For example, last year at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Beth Israel, the infection rate for total hip replacement and total knee replacement—a key concern for patients—was below the national average.
“The Joint Commission recognizes the outstanding quality of care provided by our entire team of caregivers, from nurses in the operating room to physical therapists, internists, and orthopedic surgeons,” adds Peter McCann, MD, Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and Professor of Orthopaedics.