Jan 30, 2017 2 min read

MONONGAHELA – William Hearn had knee-replacement surgery at Mon Valley Hospital two weeks ago, and its staff had him on his feet, relatively pain free, about three hours later.

“I was in the recovery room a little after 8 a.m., and they had me up and walking at 10:30 a.m.,” said Hearn, of Monongahela.

“They get you on your feet almost immediately,” added hospital spokeswoman Corinne G. Laboon, while announcing Monday the Carroll Township hospital has become the first in Western Pennsylvania to earn the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement.

“It’s a big deal,” Laboon said. “It’s saying that our program is so much more advanced.”

Hearn said the hospital has instituted changes since he had his first knee replacement there two years ago, which include the use of pain medication in the knee area that does a great deal to reduce pain.

The program is advanced, too, because it requires a patient to bring a friend or family member to a class in advance of surgery, Laboon said.

The patient undergoes blood and heart tests at the class, which can point out other problems that can be taken care of before the day of the surgery. The advanced tests have helped to reduce infection and blood transfusion rates, she said.

Mon Valley Hospital was involved last week in a “rigorous onsite review” by the commission’s experts.

Louis J. Panza Jr., the hospital’s president and chief executive officer, said Mon Valley changed the way patients experience joint replacements when it established its Orthopedic Institute in 2013.

He said the program also emphasizes wellness and maximizes patient recovery times through education, culture and family involvement.

“We are pleased to receive advanced certification from the Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation,” Panza said.