Olympia, WA.  November 19, 2012.  Capital Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for its disease specific certification for knee replacement, hip replacement, and spine surgery by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in disease-specific care. The certification award recognizes Capital Medical Center’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the- art standards.

Capital Medical Center underwent a rigorous on-site review on November 7 and 8, 2012. A Joint Commission expert evaluated Capital Medical Center’s Joint & Spine Center programs for knee replacement, hip replacement, and spine surgeries for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership, and medication management.

“In achieving Joint Commission certification, Capital Medical Center has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients having surgery of the knee, hip, and spine says Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q. executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process and I commend Capital Medical Center for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”

“This Joint Commission certification is a result of a significant investment in and commitment to quality on a daily basis throughout Capital Medical Center” says Jim Geist, Chief Executive Officer of Capital Medical Center.  “Achieving Joint Commission certification in knee replacement, hip replacement, and spine surgery for our organization, is a major step in establishing excellence and continually improving the care we provide.”

The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification Program, launched in 2002, is designed to evaluate clinical programs across the continuum of care. Certification requirements address three core areas: compliance with consensus-based national standards; effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care; and an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.

About Joint Commission

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 10,300 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,500 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission currently certifies more than 2,000 disease-specific care programs, focused on the care of patients with chronic illnesses such as stroke, joint replacement, stroke rehabilitation, heart failure and many others. The Joint Commission also provides health care staffing services certification for more than 750 staffing offices. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

About Capital Medical Center
Capital Medical Center, a member of Capella Healthcare’s family of hospitals, is a 110-bed hospital, serving all of Thurston and surrounding counties. Built in 1985, Capital Medical Center is accredited by the Joint Commission and the College of American Pathologists.   The hospital has been awarded the following:

  • Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Knee Replacement, Hip Replacement, and Spine Surgery
  • Designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Hip and Knee Replacement  by Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Excellence through Insight award twice for overall inpatient satisfaction and is recognized nationally for orthopedic services as being in the top 5% in patient safety

 

For more information, please visit www.capitalmedical.com.