Inova Fairfax Hospital Earns ‘Gold Seal of Approval’

Hospital Earns Gold Seal for Knee and Hip Replacement Surgery

Fairfax, VA – (March 17, 2010) — Inova Fairfax Hospital’s Joint Replacement Surgery program has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for healthcare quality. The Joint Commission awarded the hospital “Disease-Specific Care Certification” for Knee and Hip Replacement Surgery.

To earn this distinction, a disease-management program undergoes an extensive, unannounced, on-site evaluation by a team of Joint Commission reviewers every two years.

“This certification means Inova Fairfax Hospital offers exemplary care for knee and hip replacement patients,” says Mark Theiss, MD, Chairman, Orthopedics, Inova Fairfax Hospital. “Our hospital pursued this comprehensive, independent evaluation of the Joint Replacement program to demonstrate the commitment we have to excellence in patient care.”

The program is evaluated against Joint Commission standards through an assessment of a program’s processes, the program’s ability to evaluate and improve care within its own organization, and interviews with patients and staff.

“Earning the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for Knee and Hip Replacement Surgeries is quite an accomplishment. Inova Fairfax Hospital is continually ranked as one of the best hospitals in the nation in many areas, including cardiac, stroke and gastrointestinal care. This designation is further evidence that our staff and hospital are committed to providing high-quality orthopedic care,” said Reuven Pasternak, CEO, Inova Fairfax Hospital.

Inova Fairfax Hospital joins Inova Fair Oaks Hospital and Inova Mount Vernon Hospital in earning a Joint Commission Gold Seal in orthopedic care.

The Joint Commission launched its “Disease-Specific Care Certification” program in 2002, the first program of its kind in the country to certify disease-management programs. A list of programs certified by the Joint Commission is available at jointcommission.org.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.