Norwalk Hospital has earned the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for its Comprehensive Joint Replacement Center.
The hospital was put through an on-site review in November where a Joint Commission employee evaluated the joint replacement program's compliance with care standards specific to the needs of patients and families, including leadership, medication managements and infection prevention and control, according to a January press release.
Dr. Klaus Thaler, chairman of Norwalk Hospital's Department of Surgery, said the certification is a step toward getting the hospital where it wants to be.
"With Joint Commission certification, we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down. Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence,” Thaler said in a statement.
Jean Range, the executive director of Disease-Specific Care Certification for the Joint Commission, said in a statement that the Norwalk Hospital earning its certification shows a "commitment to the highest level of care for its patients with knee and hip conditions."
"Certification is a voluntary process and I commend Norwalk Hospital for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves," Range said.
The certification program, which began in 2002, is based around three requirements: compliance with national standards, effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to make patient care better and an organized approach toward performance measurement and improvement activities, according to the press release.
For more information about the Comprehensive Joint Replacement Center at Norwalk Hospital, call (203) 852-3024.
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