Abington Memorial Hospital Earns Distinction

Joint Commission Gold Seal for Hip and
Knee Replacement

Abington Memorial Hospital's commitment to excellence in hip and knee replacement was awarded the Gold Seal of Approval and Disease-Specific Certification from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Abington's joint replacement program is the second in Pennsylvania and one of 22 hospitals nationwide to receive this prestigious accreditation.

Abington Memorial Hospital's program voluntarily underwent an intensive evaluation of our compliance with the Joint Commission's national standards and performance measurement expectations for the management of chronic care illnesses. "Certification is proof positive of Abington's exemplary standards and practices in joint replacement treatments and procedures," says Andrew M. Star, M.D., chief, Orthopaedic Surgery Division at Abington Memorial Hospital and medical director of the Orthopaedic and Spine Institute.

To earn a Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission, a health care organization must meet or exceed the following criteria: compliance with consensus-based national standards; an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities; and the effective use of established clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care. The certification is valid for two years.