Pictured are members of the Fifth Floor nursing staff who care for the patients undergoing a total hip or total knee replacement. Colquitt Regional has recently received recertification for approval from the The Joint Commission for its Total Knee and Total Hip Replacement Program.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Colquitt Regional recently announced it has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement for the second consecutive certification period. Certification is for Joint Commission-accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers seeking to elevate the quality, consistency and safety of their services and patient care.

Colquitt Regional underwent a rigorous onsite review in November 2018. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with advanced disease-specific care standards and total hip and total knee replacement requirements, including orthopedic consultation, and pre-operative, intraoperative and post-surgical orthopedic surgeon follow-up care.

“Achieving Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Certification recognizes Colquitt Regional’s commitment to provide care in a safe and efficient manner for patients,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission.

Colquitt Regional has become a leading destination for total hip and knee joint replacement surgeries. One of the unique aspects of the Total Joint Replacement Program at Colquitt Regional is the established relationship with Vereen Rehabilitation Center and the opportunity for patients to continue recovering under their care. In November of 2016, Colquitt Regional was the first hospital in South Georgia to receive the Gold Seal of Approval for Certification from the Joint Commission. The Joint Replacement Program at Colquitt Regional is led by orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Curt Starling, Dr. Dexter Love and Dr. Jabari Martin. Shain Nowland, BSN, RN-BC is the director of the surgical orthopedics floor and he heads the group of employees who developed the program together as a team. The team looks at every step of the patient’s care, from preoperative tests to post-discharge home safety, to ensure that patients achieve the best possible outcomes.

“We are thrilled to receive The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for the second consecutive review period,” said Colquitt Regional CEO Jim Matney. “Our Total Joint Replacement Program has been a huge success and a large part of that is due to our exceptional staff that runs the program.”

Established in 2016 and awarded for a two-year period, the certification process was developed in response to the growing number of patients undergoing a total hip or total knee replacement surgery, as well as the increased focus on clinical evidence-based patient care as it relates to pain management, quality of life issues, functional limitation in mobility and the return to normal daily activities.

“The Total Joint Replacement team has worked hard to make the program a success,” said Hospital Authority Chairman Maureen A. Yearta, Ed.D. “Having an external organization come in and evaluate our processes and health outcomes and award us with another Gold Seal of Approval speaks volumes about the quality of care we provide and the experience our patients should expect to receive.”