Park Ridge Health earns designation as Spine Center of Excellence

Park Ridge Health today announced that it has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval^® for the Spine Center of Excellence Certification. The Gold Seal of Approval^® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care. 

Park Ridge Health underwent a rigorous on-site review in October. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with national disease-specific care standards as well as with Spinal Surgery-specific requirements. Clinical practice guidelines and performance measures also were assessed. 

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.

"Park Ridge Health has thoroughly demonstrated a high level of care for patients with spinal health needs,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission. “We commend Park Ridge Health for becoming a leader in spinal surgery, potentially providing a higher standard of service for spine patients in its community.”

"Park Ridge Health is pleased to receive the Spine Center of Excellence Certification from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation,” added Jimm Bunch, Park Ridge Health President and CEO. “The certification provides us with the framework to expand our culture of excellence for those in our community.”  

“Our Spine Center of Excellence Certification validates the commitment of the administration, staff and surgeons to the highest quality and safety of Spine Care possible,” said Stephen David, MD, Medical Director of Park Ridge Health Orthopedics. “This certification will allow us to continue to work closely with The Joint Commission moving forward to continuously analyze and improve care for our patients at Park Ridge Health.”

“Receiving the Spine Center of Excellence designation demonstrates Park Ridge Health’s commitment to a higher standard of service and care,” said Roland Joy, Park Ridge Health Chief Nursing Officer. “The national recognition reinforces the fact that our Orthopedics program is exemplary in offering high-quality care.”

Park Ridge Health’s Spine Center includes the first, and only, use of nanomedicine in the operating room. The nanoLOCK^TM spine implant uses nanotechnology and a process called biomimicry to facilitating natural healing across the implant.

Stephen David, MD, Medical Director of Park Ridge Health Orthopedics is one of only 75 surgeons in the United States using this technology.

Our Spine Center is also the only health system in our region using the Misonix TM Ultrasonic Spinal Surgery technology, which is safer to use than existing techniques for spinal nerve decompression. Also, in 2016, we became the first health system in Western North Carolina to use the Pro-Axis Spinal Surgical table, which allows for safer and more precise positioning of the spine during a surgical procedure.