LIJ Valley Stream earns orthopedic excellence

Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital became the first hospital in the country to receive all five orthopedic specialty certifications available from the Joint Commission. The hospital is now certified in advanced spine surgery, advanced total hip and knee replacement, total shoulder replacement, total ankle replacement, and hip fracture care surgeries.

The Joint Commission is an independent regulatory organization that sets standards for health care programs in the United States through core and advanced disease-specific certifications. These certifications are benchmarks for excellence in patient care and surgical outcomes.

The quality measures analyzed by the Joint Commission include areas of safety, patient optimization, process efficiency, and the return of independence and restoration of quality of life for patients. The certification process requires the hospital to submit its orthopedic program design for all surgeons and specialties as well as nursing standards and rehabilitation protocols.

The Joint Commission reviewers also made a lengthy on site visit to the hospital to review program standards and processes and observe surgeries and care delivery. The on site visit includes interactions with surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, and patients to help reviewers assess the program.

“It has been incredibly meaningful for me to receive feedback from the various Joint Commission reviewers who surveyed our program,” said Jason Tan, RN executive director, Long Island Jewish Valley Stream. “Every single reviewer consistently said that they could feel the commitment, dedication, and love our team members have for our patients and this mission. We are very proud to be the first hospital in the country to receive all five Joint Commission certifications for our orthopedic program at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream.”

“At Long Island Jewish Valley Stream, our goal has always been to give great care to our patients…the most important part of any hospital care is really to as an institution have the highest quality of care…and having people who are willing to work together, sacrifice their time and energy to really make it better,” said  James Germano, MD, chair of orthopedics at the hospital.

He further stated: “As a surgeon, we tend to get the most credit because it’s our patients and we’re doing the surgery and our patients remember our names. They may not necessarily remember the nurse or the therapist or the recovery room nurse, but without each of those people along the way, I could never do the job.” 

“This certification represents excellence in communication. There are a lot of hand-offs from one place in the hospital to the next. And unfortunately, that raises opportunities for things to get missed. So quality communication is going to protect the patient before they even come into the hospital. And then for the entirety of their care, in and around the OR, on the floor, and in preparation for going home,” said Dr. Alfred Faust, MD, chief of spine surgery.

“We are a big orthopedic group, and I think the reason you can get all five, or up to five, is the culture. There’s just a shared pride. You see your colleagues working really hard. And that gets very contagious. So when you have everybody setting a good example, then it just raises the whole level, the whole performance of everybody across the board.”