The Joint Replacement Center (JRC) at SSM Health DePaul Hospital just completed its 15th year as a distinguished center of excellence for total joint replacement. Clinical staff and administrators gathered in the May Center on November 15 to celebrate the anniversary and recognition of national certifications received in May 2022 from The Joint Commission.
The JRC is the first hospital unit in St. Louis to earn the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission for disease-specific care certification in total shoulder replacement and the first in St. Louis to earn advanced certification for total hip and total knee replacement. The JRC was the first in Missouri to receive this distinguished designation in 2009 and has maintained the certification for 13 years.
“The JRC has been a beacon of exceptional orthopedic care in this region for many years. We congratulate the surgeons and supporting staff of the JRC, many of whom were here when the specialized unit opened in 2007,” said Tina Garrison, president of DePaul Hospital. “The commitment of these teams to excellence in clinical care of orthopedic patients is indicative in the national recognition by The Joint Commission.”
Dr. William Schroer, orthopedic surgeon and visionary of the JRC, said the staff’s extraordinary commitment at every point of patient contact throughout the hospital has been instrumental in building the high-volume center. “It takes a village, and our clinical outcomes continue to be exceptional because of all the teams who help care for our patients,” he said.
On average, 1700 patients undergo joint replacement at DePaul Hospital each year, with more than 23,000 patients having total joint surgery in the past 15 years. https://www.ssmhealth.com/employee-culture-communications/mynews/missouri/depaul-hospital-st-louis/2022/12/joint-replacement-center-at-ssm-health-depaul-hosp