Deciding on joint replacement is not a decision anyone makes lightly. Once the choice is made, however, the next decision can be just as difficult: Where should I have it done?

There are many factors that influence where you go for care. Is it convenient? Does the facility have a good reputation? Are the doctors experienced and knowledgeable? And, how do I know I’m receiving the best possible care?

Earlier this summer, the Tanner Ortho and Spine Center received a gold seal of accreditation from The Joint Commission’s Disease-specific Care Certification for knee replacement and hip replacement, placing the center among the premier destinations in the nation for knee and hip replacement services.

This is no small feat; the accreditation process involved an intensive on-site review that analyzed the center’s ability to use clinical outcomes and other performance measures to improve care, the commitment of Tanner Ortho and Spine Center’s leadership to improving the quality of care for patients and how the facility prepares patients and caregivers for recovery after the procedure. Surveyors from The Joint Commission also reviewed how well we incorporate evidence-based standards of care into daily practice.

The focus of The Joint Commission Disease-specific Care Certification is on reducing the risk of errors in care and improving outcomes and patient satisfaction. The Joint Commission — the largest and most respected accreditor of hospitals and healthcare facilities in the nation — validated that Tanner Ortho and Spine Center provides:

• Integrated, coordinated, patient-centered care — Starting with the orthopedic consultation and continuing through the orthopedic surgeon follow-up visit
• Comprehensive education of, and shared decision making with, the total hip or total knee replacement patient — Occurring along the continuum of care from orthopedic consultation to care of the patient (preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative) to discharge to follow-up visit with the orthopedic surgeon
• Consistent communication and collaboration with all healthcare providers involved in the patient’s care and transitions of care — Including providers on the interdisciplinary team (as well as those who are not on the team) from the orthopedic consultation through the follow-up visit with the orthopedic surgeon
• Ongoing quality improvement processes — Involving the implementation of improvements to the program from the orthopedic consultation to the orthopedic follow-up visit

Source: The Joint Commission

For patients, the accreditation is more than a gold seal on a certificate on the wall. It means the high standard of care and cooperation that we’ve fostered between Carrollton Orthopaedic Clinic and the Tanner Ortho and Spine Center has enabled us to ensure that you can have the same level of confidence in your care that you’d expect at much larger hospitals — all right here in west Georgia and east Alabama.

We’re very proud of this accomplishment, the behind-the-scenes work that led to it, and what it represents for our patients: That the best orthopedic care isn’t down the interstate; it’s down the street.

To learn more about knee replacement at Tanner Ortho and Spine Center, visit TannerOrtho.org.

Carrollton Orthopaedic Clinic has locations in Bremen, Carrollton and Villa Rica. For more information, visit carrolltonortho.com or call 770-834-0873.