Baptist Jacksonville earns Blue Distinction® Center+ designation for knee and hip replacement surgeries

Florida Blue has selected Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement, part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.

Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated health care facilities shown to deliver improved patient safety and better health outcomes based on objective measures that were developed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies with input from the medical community.

Knee and hip replacement procedures are among the fastest growing medical treatments in the U.S. according to studies published in the June 2014 Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

"Baptist Health is a proven leader in orthopedic care and we provide a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders for restoring mobility and quality of life," said Ed Hubel, assistant administrator for Baptist Health orthopedics service line. "Our Baptist hospitals combine the most advanced technology with a dedicated team of adult and pediatric orthopedic surgeons, medical professionals and other support team members. We are affiliated with specialty trained physicians of Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute (JOI) – northeast Florida’s most respected name in hand, arm, foot, ankle, joint, spine and sports medicine."

Hospitals designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ for Knee and Hip Replacement demonstrate expertise in total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, resulting in fewer patient complications and hospital readmissions. Designated hospitals must also maintain national accreditation. In addition to meeting these quality thresholds, hospitals designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ are on average 20 percent more cost-efficient in an episode of care compared to other hospitals. Quality is key: only those facilities that first meet nationally established, objective quality measures will be considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+ .

"Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville and our Baptist Center for Joint Replacement are proud to be recognized by Florida Blue for meeting the robust selection criteria for knee and hip replacements set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program," said Michael Mayo, hospital president of Baptist Jacksonville.

The Baptist Center for Joint Replacement opened in June 2009 at Baptist Jacksonville. The Center for Joint Replacement provides a higher level of education and therapy to more than 4,000 patients while preparing them for a shorter hospital stay and more independence when they return home. The Center for Joint Replacement works with physicians and physician assistants from Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute, who conduct the hip and knee procedures such as robotic-assisted total hip and robotic-assisted partial knee replacement surgery. Baptist Jacksonville has offered MAKOplasty® partial knee resurfacing using the RIO system since 2012 and was the first in the region in 2015 to begin MAKOplasty® Hip Arthroplasty.

"The Baptist Center for Joint Replacement is a one of a kind in northeast Florida with a dedicated team of care providers specifically focused on delivering specialized care to patients undergoing any type of joint replacement surgery," said William Pujadas, MD, medical director of the center and orthopedic surgeon with Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute. "The experience begins with the initial office visit, preoperative class education and exercise program followed by the surgery itself, which is performed at a state-of-the-art facility utilizing the most advanced techniques, performed by highly trained, board-certified physicians. This is followed by the postoperative course, which the family is encouraged to participate in and includes highly trained physical therapists and orthopedic nurses with specialized training in care for total joint replacement patients."

Other procedures at the Center for Joint Replacement include total knee arthroplasty, total hip arthroplasty and hip resurfacing. In total, about 60 people, including JOI physicians and physician assistants along with physical therapists and nurses from Baptist Health, assist patients in their recovery. Blanca McKean, MSN,RN,NE-BC, is the Baptist Health director who oversees the center, along with Kathy Vanderbeck, ARNP, OCNS-C, ONC, the center’s program coordinator and Dorothy Cobb, RN, MSN, the nurse manager.