In September 2010, The Joint Commission awarded Disease-Specific Care Certification to Duke Raleigh Hospital's Total Joint Replacement Program, in recognition of the program’s commitment to excellence in providing care for total joint replacement patients.

Duke Raleigh Hospital

Duke Raleigh Hospital is the first in the Triangle to receive this distinction. To earn it, the program underwent an extensive, announced on-site evaluation by The Joint Commission.

The program was evaluated against Joint Commission standards through an assessment of the program’s processes and ability to evaluate and improve care within its own organization and through interviews with patients and staff.

“Duke Raleigh Hospital voluntarily pursued this comprehensive independent evaluation to enhance the safety and quality of care we provide,” says hospital president Doug Vinsel. “We are honored to demonstrate our standard of excellence and the caliber of teamwork and collaboration across the entire hospital that enables us to provide the very best care to our patients.”

Disease-Specific Care Certifications are based on three core areas:

• Compliance with national standards
• Effective use of established clinical practice guidelines
• An organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities

Disease-specific care programs that successfully demonstrate compliance in all three areas are awarded certification for a two-year period. 

In April 2011, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) also designated Duke Raleigh Hospital as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement. Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement are part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s expansion of its Blue Distinction designation.

“Last fall, BCBSNC invited Duke Raleigh to participate in the Blue Distinction program, and we were proud to demonstrate our accomplishments within their rigorous criteria,” says Liz Jackson, PT, MBA, director of the orthopaedic service line at Duke Raleigh.

“Receiving this designation validates the high quality of care and teamwork we provide that ensures every patient has the best outcome and experience possible.”

Duke Raleigh’s Total Joint Replacement Program is a comprehensive and multidisciplinary program that includes preoperative patient education, surgical and medical care, acute rehab, assistance with discharge planning, and postoperative wellness instruction. Duke Raleigh performed more than 700 joint replacement surgeries last year.