St. Michael hospital earns distinction for spine program

CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System recently earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Spine Program Certification. The Gold Seal of Approval is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

The Spine Program underwent a rigorous on-site review in September. The program was evaluated for compliance with national disease-specific care standards as well as with spine-specific requirements. Clinical practice guidelines and performance measures were also assessed.

“We have developed our spine program with a patient-centric focus,” said Joseph Ramos, director of physical medicine and the Center for Joint Replacement at St. Michael. “We educate patients on what to expect before going into surgery as well as provide individualized and personalized care plans for after surgery. Goals are set to help patients achieve their previous level of function. Through these implementations we have achieved excellent clinical outcomes which are acknowledged through the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval Certification.”

The recognition shows the level of care available with St. Michael’s spine program.

“CHRISTUS St. Michael has thoroughly demonstrated a high level of care for patients with spinal surgery,” said Wendi J. Roberts, executive director of the Joint Commission’s certification programs. “We commend … St. Michael for becoming a leader in health care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for patients in its community.”

St. Michael officials are proud of the recognition.

“… St. Michael is pleased to receive disease-specific care certification from The Joint Commission …” added Ramos. “The certification provides us with the framework to create a culture of excellence for those in our community.”