BERMUDA RUN — Wake Forest Baptist Health-Davie Medical Center has announced that it has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Certification.

Davie Medical Center is the first hospital in the state to earn this certification, which, according to The Joint Commission, is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

The hospital underwent a rigorous on-site review last month. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with national disease-specific care standards as well as with adult reconstruction-specific requirements. Clinical practice guidelines and performance measures also were assessed.

“Davie Medical Center is pleased to receive the Disease-Specific Care Certification from The Joint Commission, a national health care quality improvement and accrediting body,” said John Shields, M.D., medical director of orthopaedics at Davie Medical Center. “This certification provides us with the framework to continue a culture of excellence for those in our community.”

Established in 2002 and awarded for a two-year period, The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification evaluates clinical programs across the continuum of care and addresses three core areas:

• Compliance with consensus-based national standards;

• Effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care; and

• An organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.

“Davie Medical Center has thoroughly demonstrated a high level of care for total hip and knee patients,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director of Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission. “We commend this community hospital for becoming a leader in total hip and knee care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for orthopaedic patients in its community.”