UC San Diego Health has received The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery.
To be eligible for the award, institutes must implement evidence-based care, follow clinical guidelines and participate in the American Spine Registry.
Organizations also need performance data on surgical site infection rates, new neurological deficits, unplanned return visits, and pre- and postoperative patient-reported outcomes.
The certification was achieved through a collaboration between UC San Diego's neurological surgery and orthopedic surgery departments.
The Joint Commission performed an on-site review in September to evaluate outcomes and compliance.
"As the region's only academic medical center, we proactively seek advanced certifications in specialty care that confirm our commitment to providing extraordinary care for all of our patients," Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health, said in a Nov. 7 news release from the university. "This designation celebrates and recognizes UC San Diego Health as a premiere destination for routine or complex spine surgery cases."