The Joint Replacement Center at Memorial Hospital recently received two quality designations, one as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and the second as a UnitedHealth Premium® Specialty Center for Total Joint Replacement.

The Joint Replacement Center, which opened in 1997, performs more than 400 hip, knee and shoulder replacement surgeries a year. Orthopedic surgeon Myron Szczukowski, MD, is medical director of the center. He and his partner Richard Mason, MD, are the primary surgeons affiliated with this Shore Health System affiliate.

According to Laura Hanlon, RN, Coordinator for the Joint Replacement Center, “These designations reflect the high quality standards that have been in place at our Joint Replacement Center from its inception. The Center has been consistently recognized for having the highest inpatient satisfaction scores at Shore Health System.”

Hanlon continues, “Our success is built on the teamwork of our physicians, nurses, anesthesiologists, physical and occupational therapists, and housekeeping staff.” She adds, “Patient feedback confirms for us that people come to our center for the excellent results we are getting with joint replacements.”

Based on patient feedback, Dr. Szczukowski recently spearheaded a facelift for the Joint Replacement Center’s 13-year old facility. The renovation was also an opportunity to install new technology. In addition to paint and other cosmetic enhancements, new flat screen televisions were installed in each patient room, adding to patient comfort and convenience.

The staff of the Joint Replacement Center concentrates on education and wellness. Unlike other hospital units where patients come because they are ill, people come to the Joint Replacement Center to recover from surgery that restores their ability to function at home, at work and out in the community.

Physical and occupational therapy, exercise and medical treatments are provided in patient rooms and are individualized for each person. The results are positive patient outcomes, including lower blood transfusion rates, lower complication and infection rates, decreased post-operative pain and fewer days in the hospital.

In addition to these positive patient outcomes, the selection criteria used in evaluating the Joint Replacement Center were the experience, training and number of cases performed by the center’s surgeons; the use of proven best medical practices, such as surgical checklists and other standardized processes to streamline patient care; and the preoperative education available to patients.

Dr. Szczukowski comments, “The Joint Replacement Center has always been results driven, keeping up with the most up-to-date technology and focused on improving our patients experiences with every surgery we do.”

Dr. Szczukowski credits the low staff turnover as critical to its continued success. The unit has maintained the same staff since 2005, which improves the Center’s continuity of care. He adds, “The staff like what they do and they do a good job at it.”

Kim Billingslea, BSN, RN, NE-BC, nurse manager for the Joint Replacement Center and Memorial Hospital’s neuroscience and renal units, comments, “Education is integral to the center’s work. We encourage our nursing staff to get continuing education each year through the National Association for Orthopedic Nursing, which enables them to stay abreast of the latest technology, therapy and educational advancements. They in turn share what they learn with one another and with our patients.”

The Joint Replacement Center team members help patients gain a clear understanding of their road to recovery and mobility following joint replacement surgery. Through the preoperative classes, patients learn about the surgical placement of the prosthetic; anesthesia and pain control; therapy and exercises; and planning for recovery at home.

Hanlon adds, “We continue to update our weekly education sessions based on what our nurses and physicians are learning as procedures and technology change. We have between 80 and 90 percent participation in these classes, which are open to patients scheduled for surgery as well as to people who are considering joint replacement surgery.”

According to Rob Carroll, Director of Performance Management and Improvement for Shore Health System, “For the patient considering joint replacement surgery, the Blue Distinction and the UnitedHealth Premium® Specialty Center designations provide important information about a facility’s overall quality of care and safety as they relate to this kind of surgery.”

Carroll adds, “This recognition represents a lot of hard work over the years for the Joint Replacement Center team. It takes more than having policies and procedures in place; it’s about better outcomes for our patients. These designations show that the Joint Replacement Center meets or exceeds nationally-recognized best practices of care. We are proud of that accomplishment.”

To learn more about Shore Health System’s Joint Replacement Center, call 410-822-1000 or 410-476-3771, extension 5406.

Designation as Blue Distinction Centers® means these facilities overall experience and aggregate data met objective criteria established in collaboration with expert clinicians’ and leading professional organizations’ recommendations. Individual outcomes may vary. To find out which services are covered under your policy at any facilities, please call your local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan.

UnitedHealthcare® developed the UnitedHealth Premium specialty center program to give its members information about, and access to, total joint hospitals meeting rigorous quality criteria. The designation is based on detailed information about specialized training, practice capabilities and outcomes submitted to UnitedHealthcare and is designed to help consumers make informed decisions about where to seek total joint replacement care.