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Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute First in Country to Receive Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery

September 03, 2021

The Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute at MidState Medical Center in Meriden is the first in the country to receive Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery from The Joint Commission. The certification follows a rigorous review by The Joint Commission, an independent organization dedicated to improving healthcare for the public.

“This achievement demonstrates the commitment of our surgeons and staff at the Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute to high-quality patient care,” said John McCallum, M.D., COI medical director. “As the first in the country to receive this distinction, combined with our advanced certification in hip and knee replacement, our program provides a destination, right here in Connecticut, where a patient can confidently have access to some of the best care in the entire country.

The thorough, two-day, in-person review determined that the Institute met The Joint Commission’s stringent standards for advanced certification. The evaluation validated COI’s pre-operative care and education; standardization of practices, procedures and care for patients; and emphasized everything from pre- to post-operative consults with the spine surgeons to communication and collaboration between clinicians. It also evaluated the consistent use of care teams and compliance with clinical practice guidelines. In addition, the Joint Commission determined that the Institute met rigorous standards of care based on data collection guidelines, and participates as required in the American Spine Registry, which measures clinical complications and outcomes. To be eligible for the certification, the Institute must have served at least 200 spine patients.

“Our first-in-the-nation achievement of this certification is a testament to the exceptional, patient-centered, coordinated care for spinal surgery patients,” said Joel Bauman, M.D,  chief of neurosurgery for Hartford HealthCare’s Central Region. “Our first-class multidisciplinary team has led the way to improved spine surgery experiences and outcomes. We look forward to the continuous improvement journey in care of our spine surgery patients in the years to come.”

Spine disease is one of the most prevalent diseases, with more than 1.2 million surgeries performed each year in the U.S., according to the National Center for Health Statistics.