‘A major milestone’: Norwich hospital’s spine surgery program earns national recognition

Norwich Bulletin – Tuesday, May 6, 2025
By Beth McDermott Reported assisted by AI

Backus Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery, according to a community announcement.

The certification is a nationally recognized distinction for meeting quality and safety performance standards in spine care, according to the announcement.

“Our spine program team has been committed to achieving this distinguished designation,” said Dr. Mark Hornyak, a neurosurgeon with Hartford HealthCare’s Ayer Neuroscience Institute and division chair of neurosurgery at Backus Hospital. “This certification represents years of high-quality work by our colleagues and shows how we strive for the best patient care, quality and outcomes possible. This is a major milestone for the Backus spine program, and it highlights the successful partnership between neurosurgery and orthopedics in the East Region.”

The certification, offered in collaboration with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, helps organizations provide consistent communication and collaboration among all health care providers involved in the care of the patient, according to the announcement.

“Our team is continuously focused on providing excellent patient care,” said Dr. Michael Halperin, an orthopedic surgeon at Backus Hospital. “I want to thank the staff of Backus Hospital for their incredible efforts and commitment to helping to bring our spine program to the status it is today.”

To be eligible for the certification, 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, according to the announcement.

Backus Hospital underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review prior to receiving the recognition. During the visit, a Joint Commission reviewer evaluated compliance with related certification standards that are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewer also conducted onsite observations and interviews, according to the announcement.

“Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery recognizes healthcare organizations committed to striving for excellence and fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Ken Grubbs, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing officer of The Joint Commission. “We commend Backus Hospital for using The Joint Commission certification process to reduce variation in clinical processes and to strengthen its clinical program to drive safer, higher quality and more compassionate care for individuals served.”

“I am so proud of the hard work, dedication and excellent care provided by all of our colleagues at Backus Hospital who helped make this possible,” said Backus Hospital President Donna Handley. “We are honored by this recognition, which was accomplished by the collective efforts of our neuroscience and orthopedic teams working together to improve the health of our patients and the communities we serve.”

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