The Joint Replacement Program at Verde Valley Medical Center has been awarded a 2008 Showcase in Excellence Award by the Arizona Quality Alliance (AQA). VVMC is the only hospital in Arizona to receive the award. This recognition is presented to organizations that demonstrate innovation, excellence in comparison to peers, or overall exceptional performance.

The VVMC’s Joint Replacement Program (JRP) was developed by members of the surgical medical and nursing staffs in 2001 due to the large number of people requiring this surgery in the Verde Valley. Since then, the program has received national recognition as a center of excellence for its high success rate. The program is wellness-oriented for otherwise healthy individuals who need hip or knee replacement surgery. It centers on preoperative education, state-of-the-art surgical techniques, skilled nursing care, and focused pain management strategies. Advanced physical therapy through VVMC’s EntireCare Rehab & Sports Medicine Experts department includes a focus on restoring independence as soon as possible.
Jon R. Cook, DPT, physical therapy coordinator of VVMC’s Joint Replacement and Sports Medicine programs said, “The JRP is the result of years of collaboration between our orthopedic surgeons, nurses and therapists. It demonstrates the excellent care and service we strive to provide each day to our patients and the community.”

VVMC’s JRP has been shown to decrease length of hospital stay, decrease complication rate, increase speed of rehabilitation, and improve range of motion. Patients involved in the program also have shown improvement in walking distance and decrease in pain in as little as six weeks after surgery.

The AQA provides information and opportunities necessary to help Arizona organizations succeed – both financially and operationally by providing a cooperative atmosphere to excel in total quality management principles and organizational excellence. The VVMC Quality Management Department prepared the comprehensive clinical information demonstrating the JRP’s excellence, which was considered by the AQA along with the other organizations that competed for the prestigious award.

Interim VVMC President Jack Dempsey said, “At VVMC, we have a strong commitment to providing service excellence and the highest quality healthcare. The Joint Replacement Program is just one example of placing our focus on best practices to improve patient outcomes. We are pleased to have been selected as a recipient of the AQA Showcase in Excellence Award.”