July 2, 2021
More than 1.2 million spinal operations are performed in the U.S. annually, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.* Moreover, degenerative spine disease has become one of the most prevalent and costly issues to manage, leading to operations such as spinal fusion and decompression or discectomy.*
In an effort to continue to expand its offerings to address and improve the quality and safety of the vast spectrum of health care settings and services, The Joint Commission has launched a new advanced certification program in spine surgery.
Going into effect on July 1, the Advanced Certification for Spine Surgery (ACSS) was created in collaboration with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The certification program is available for hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory surgery centers that perform spine procedures, including those facilities that are Joint Commission-accredited, accredited by another organization, or nonaccredited.*
The Joint Commission, at present, certifies more than 100 spine health care institutions through its Disease-Specific Care (DSC) Certification program. But the new ACSS program goes beyond the core DSC standards to provide a more in-depth assessment of an institution’s spine surgery program.
The new ACSS program includes the following aspects:†
The new advanced certification program was developed with the help of a spine surgery technical advisory panel composed of clinical experts with specific knowledge of this type of care, including clinical leadership from the American Spine Registry. The standards incorporate the latest research, best practices, and federal regulations to improve quality and safety for spine surgery patients.
This ACSS program will address the various domains related to spine surgery, such as the following:†
The Joint Commission has adopted four standardized measures from the American Spine Registry. Data collection for these measures must commence four months before the initial certification review for organizations seeking certification. Data collection is ongoing after that for all ACSS-certified organizations. The measures are as follows:†
To learn more about the ACSS program, The Joint Commission has created a web page that includes the following materials:*
Learn more about the ACSS program here.
The thoughts and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Dr. Jacobs and do not necessarily reflect those of The Joint Commission or the American College of Surgeons.
*The Joint Commission. Advanced certification in spine surgery. Available at: www.jointcommission.org/accreditation-and-certification/certification/certifications-by-setting/hospital-certifications/orthopedic-certification/advanced-orthopedic/advanced-certification-in-spine-surgery/. Accessed June 3, 2021.
†The Joint Commission. Joint Commission Online. New: Advanced certification in spine surgery available in July. February 24, 2021. Available at: www.jointcommission.org/resources/news-and-multimedia/newsletters/newsletters/joint-commission-online/feb-24-2021/. Accessed June 3, 2021.