CULLMAN – In its continuing mission to provide the best patient care possible, Cullman Regional Medical Center (CRMC) is proud to announce that it has become a participant of the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR).
“Joining the AJRR will help ensure that we can continue to provide patients with the best orthopaedic care possible,” said James Clements, CRMC President/CEO.
“By participating with other sites in sharing data about performance and physician and patient experiences, we can help total joint replacement procedures become safer nationwide, while optimizing our own patients’ experiences here at CRMC.”
The AJRR serves as a central clearinghouse for data on total joint replacement procedures performed at CRMC and other participating sites throughout the country.
The AJRR aims to carefully monitor the implanted devices throughout a recipient’s lifetime and trace revision rates in a database containing information about the patient, the surgeon who performed the procedure, and the site where the procedure took place. Data collected will help more quickly identify implants that are performing poorly, and will help match patients, procedures, and devices to ensure that every patient is provided the best care possible.
CRMC is one of only two hospitals in the State of Alabama that are participating in this registry, according to Orthopedic Surgeon and CRMC Medical Staff Immediate-Past President Vince Bergquist, MD who has been leading the initiative locally.
“We are proud to be a part of an organization known for promoting the highest quality joint replacement practices,” Bergquist said.
By offering a single source of data, doctors and other healthcare professionals who use the registry can easily access data from sites around the country and use that information to help them make more informed recommendations to their patients, ultimately improving patient care. Registry information about patient outcomes and experiences will help device manufacturers improve their products and identify potentially faulty devices. All data collected by the AJRR remains confidential to protect patient privacy.
“Registries for joint replacement procedures and other medical procedures and conditions have proven to be effective tools in improving patient outcomes and reducing complications that can occur both during and following surgical procedures,” said Daniel J. Berry, M.D., Chair of the AJRR Board of Directors. “In fact, in countries where registries have been created and used, revision rates have decreased significantly, resulting in substantial cost savings and a better overall patient experience.”
More than a million hip and knee replacements are performed each year in the U.S. That number is expected to increase as more and more men and women remain active as they get older. From 2000 to 2010, the number of total hip replacements among inpatients aged 45 and over increased from 138,700 to 310,800. A large number of procedures are successful, offering patients years of trouble-free use and helping patients resume their regular activities of daily living. However, some experience problems following surgery that require a revision procedure.
Annually, CRMC orthopedic surgeons perform on average up to 300 total joints procedures at the fully accredited, 145-bed medical center which has been named a Blue Distinction Center by BlueCross & BlueShield for Total Knee & Hip Procedures.
