Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery (ACSS) by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. 

“Achieving Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery is a significant milestone for us,” said Warren Selman, M.D., neurosurgeon and chief medical executive at Marcus Neuroscience Institute. “This certification underscores our commitment to delivering the highest standard of care for our patients, from their first consultation to recovery. We’ve worked tirelessly to align our clinical practices with evidence-based guidelines and ensure that every aspect of the patient journey is safe, coordinated, and effective.” 

The certification, offered in collaboration with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, helps organizations provide consistent communication and collaboration among all healthcare providers involved in the care of the patient—from the pre-surgical consultation with the spine surgeon to intraoperative, hospitalization or ambulatory surgery center admission, rehabilitation activities, and follow-up visits with the surgeon.

To be eligible for ACSS, organizations must implement evidence-based care and clinical practice guidelines and participate in the American Spine Registry, a national quality improvement registry for spine care. Additionally, organizations need to collect performance measurement data on surgical site infection rates, new neurological deficits, unplanned return visits to the operating room, and pre-operative and post-operative patient-reported outcomes.

Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital underwent a rigorous, onsite review. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts, providers, measurement experts, and patients. The reviewer also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“This recognition further validates the exceptional care provided at our hospital and Marcus Neuroscience Institute, and demonstrates the ongoing improvements in how we care for our spine surgery patients,” said Lincoln Mendez, CEO of Boca Raton Regional Hospital. “It reflects our collective dedication to advancing quality and patient safety, ensuring we meet the highest standards of excellence. We are proud of our team’s hard work and their commitment to continuously enhancing outcomes for our patients.”

For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website: www.jointcommission.org.