By Linda Satter
LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS Health) is the first health organization in Arkansas to earn The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Certification in Spinal Fusion. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
The Joint Commission, founded in 1951, is an independent, not-for-profit organization that meticulously reviews and certifies disease-specific programs in the United States. It is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.
The certification is awarded to health care organizations with protocols proven to deliver better outcomes within a practice specialty — in this case, spinal fusion. The complex surgery connects two or more bones in any part of the spine. It can help correct problems with the way the spine is formed, such as in scoliosis, or can be used to stabilize the spine in cases of severe arthritis or after a damaged disk is removed.
