Received 2019 Women’s Choice Award® as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Orthopedics

Carteret Health Care has been named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Orthopedics by the Women’s Choice Award®, America’s trusted referral source for the best in healthcare. The award signifies that Carteret Health Care’s Joint & Spine Center is in the top 7% of 4,797 U.S. hospitals offering orthopedics services.

“At Carteret, we recognize the need for exceptional orthopedic care in our community and have assembled a robust team of surgeons and staff who specialize in joint and spine care,” said Dick Brvenik, President of Carteret Health Care. “Earning the Best Hospitals for Orthopedics designation is a great tribute to our entire orthopedic team and shows their commitment in improving the lives of our patients.”

Carteret Health Care’s Joint and Spine Center is the only coastal hospital in the region and one of only 10 North Carolina recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for orthopedics care in the U.S. by the Women’s Choice Award. Orthopedic services are provided in conjunction with American Board Certified Orthopedic surgeons at Carolinas Center for Surgery and Moore Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, PA.

There are clear gender differences in musculoskeletal disease, according to a study reported in The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Structural anatomy differences, hormones, and genetics are factors in optimizing care for male vs. female orthopedic patients. Because women have higher rates of arthritis than men, some 60% of joint replacement surgeries are performed on women.

Dr. Thomas Bates, CHC Joint & Spine Center Medical Director stated, “It is an honor to know that women recognize and recommend our clinical expertise and exceptional patient satisfaction for their own care as well as the care for their families.”

In a national survey conducted by the Women’s Choice Award, female orthopedic patients identified the following key priorities when choosing a hospital for orthopedics: single source for orthopedic services, solid patient safety record and high recommendation ratings.

“Women have different orthopedics needs, particularly as they grow older and become more at risk for osteoporosis and fractures,” said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award. “They also have different healthcare preferences, which we use to evaluate the recipients of America’s Best Hospitals for Orthopedics. We are the only award that recognizes a hospital’s ability to meet women’s distinctive needs.”

The methodology used to select Carteret Health Care as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Orthopedics is unique in that it evaluates Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey results along with primary research about women’s healthcare preferences. Award recipients are also measured on their incidence of surgical complications and infections, including:

• A wound that splits open after surgery
• Accidental cuts and tears
• Deaths from serious treatable complications
• Rate of complications for knee or hip replacement patients
• Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI)
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) infections

A hospital must have arthroscopy, joint replacement and spine surgery orthopedic services available to patients, onsite physical therapy, and an MRI in order to qualify for the award. It is the only award recognizing excellence in orthopedics based on criteria that consider patient satisfaction and clinical excellence.

The Joint and Spine Center is certified by The Joint Commission for Joint Replacement in Hip, Knee and Spine Surgery. For more information about orthopedic services, please contact Carteret Health Care’s Joint and Spine Center at (252) 499-6673 or www.CarteretHealth.org. Appointments can be made by contacting the surgeons directly at either Carolinas Center for surgery at (252) 247-2101 or Moore Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, PA at (252) 808-3100.

Brvenik concluded, “It is truly gratifying to work with a team focused on providing the best orthopedic care anywhere in the nation, every day of the week and for every single patient.”