Geisinger Community Medical Center earns Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for knee, hip, shoulder care

SCRANTON, Pa. – Geisinger Community Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Total Hip and Knee Replacement, Total Shoulder Replacement, and Hip Fracture Certification by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. 

“These awards reflect Geisinger’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care,” said Michael Suk, M.D., J.D., chair of the Geisinger Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “The team at Geisinger Community Medical Center is focused on helping patients live healthier, stay active and reclaim their lives from pain or injury.”

The certifications recognize health care organizations that provide clinical programs across the continuum of care. The certifications evaluate how Geisinger uses clinical outcomes and performance measures to identify opportunities to improve care, as well as to educate and prepare patients and their caregivers for discharge. 

Geisinger underwent a rigorous, onsite review in May. During the visit, a Joint Commission reviewer evaluated compliance with related certification standards including program management and delivering and facilitating clinical care. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewer also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“These certifications recognize health care organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Geisinger for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for orthopedic patients.” 

Monthly interdisciplinary team meetings were held to ensure all requirements for Joint Commission certification were met, including improvement on performance measures and close adherence to hospital policies. 

Geisinger offers unmatched and exclusive orthopaedic treatment, leading the way both regionally and nationally. In Northeast Pennsylvania, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre has earned certifications for Total Hip and Knee Replacement, and Hip Fracture.

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country.  Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.