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Hartford Surgery Center Becomes First in Connecticut to Receive Dual AAAHC Recognition for Excellence in Joint and Spine Surgery

HARTFORD, CT, July 9, 2025 Hartford Surgery Center (HSC), a leading state-of-the-art Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) co-owned by Orthopedic Associates of Hartford (OAH), Constitution Surgery Alliance (CSA), and Hartford HealthCare (HHC), has received dual certification from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), making it the first center in Connecticut and one of only ten in the United States to achieve this rare distinction in both total joint replacement and complex spine surgery.

This dual recognition underscores HSC’s commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care, rigorous safety standards, and exceptional surgical outcomes in the outpatient setting. As part of the OAH-led family of surgery centers, including Orthopedic Associates Surgery Center in Rocky Hill and Glastonbury Surgery Center, HSC now joins an elite group of nationally certified facilities to perform advanced spine and joint procedures outside the traditional hospital setting.

“We’re doing what few others in the region, and even nationally, are doing in an ambulatory setting,” said Steve Zhou, MD, Orthopedic Spine Surgeon and board member at Hartford Surgery Center. “Spinal fusions and other high-acuity cases are safely and successfully performed here thanks to a team-based approach and the use of the latest innovations in outpatient surgery.”

Hartford Surgery Center performed over 3,280 surgical procedures in 2024, including hundreds of advanced spine surgeries, many of which are not typically done in outpatient settings due to their complexity. The spine program at HSC is driven by a highly skilled team of surgeons, including leaders from OAH, and is recognized for its commitment to cutting-edge techniques, minimally invasive approaches, and comprehensive patient education protocols.

HSC’s total joint program has steadily expanded over recent years, with a focus on optimized patient recovery through preoperative education, digital health tools like Force Therapeutics, and physical therapy protocols tailored for early discharge and high function.

The AAAHC certifications represent extensive evaluation in areas such as:

  • Infection prevention and control
  • Patient education and engagement
  • Clinical peer review
  • Quality improvement measures
  • Community outreach

“This is a landmark achievement for outpatient orthopedic care in Connecticut,” said Pietro Memmo, MD, President, Orthopedic Associates of Hartford. “Our teams at HSC are not only pioneering complex procedures like spinal fusions and joint replacements in the ambulatory setting, but they’re also delivering personalized, data-driven care that sets a new standard for excellence across the country.”

About Hartford Surgery Center:
Hartford Surgery Center (HSC) is a multi-specialty outpatient facility located in Hartford, CT, opened in 2017. A state-of-the-art center specializing in orthopedic surgery, HSC is jointly owned by Orthopedic Associates of Hartford, Hartford HealthCare, and Constitution Surgery Alliance. The facility completed over 3,283 surgical procedures in 2024, including hundreds of advanced spine surgeries and over 100 joint replacements. HSC is AAAHC-certified and committed to safe, efficient, patient-centered surgical care. To learn more, please visit hartfordsurgerycenter.com.

About CSA:
CSA is a leading developer and operator of outpatient surgery centers. Over the past 26 years, CSA has developed 26 surgery centers, including 15 hospital joint ventures, and has partnered with more than 500 surgeons. CSA’s surgery centers complete more than 100,000 surgical cases each year. For more information about Hartford Healthcare Hartford Surgery Center or other CSA award-winning ASCs, please visit www.CSAsurgery.com

About Orthopedic Associates of Hartford:
Orthopedic Associates of Hartford, PC (OAH) is one of Connecticut’s largest and most respected orthopedic specialty groups. As a total orthopedic care center, our physicians and surgeons are experts in their orthopedic specialties, dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of the bones, muscles, tendons, nerves, and ligaments in adults and children. Convenient offices are located throughout central Connecticut in the following locations: Enfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Hartford, Manchester, Plainville, Rocky Hill and South Windsor. OAH has three state-of-the-art surgical centers that provide the highest level of surgical care on an outpatient basis in Rocky Hill, Glastonbury, and Hartford. In addition, OAH operates an MRI Center in Farmington that utilizes cutting-edge technology to provide optimal imaging services and urgent care centers in Farmington and Glastonbury that provide after-hour and weekend care for acute orthopedic injuries. To learn more, please visit oahct.com.

About Hartford Healthcare:
With 44,000 dedicated colleagues and a bold vision for the future, Hartford HealthCare is transforming healthcare across Connecticut and beyond—enhancing access, affordability, health equity, and excellence. Spanning 500 locations across 185 towns and cities, our comprehensive care-delivery system is built to serve every community, every day.

From world-class hospitals—including two tertiary-level teaching hospitals, an acute-care community teaching hospital, an acute-care hospital and trauma center, and three community hospitals—to an expansive network of behavioral health services, multispecialty physician groups, urgent and virtual care, surgery centers, home care, senior care, rehabilitation, and mobile neighborhood health programs, Hartford HealthCare is there when and where it matters most.

We touch the lives of nearly 28,000 people every single day, delivering unparalleled care through our unique Institute Model—bringing together leading experts in neuroscience, cancer, digestive health, heart and vascular care, orthopedics, and urology & kidney health to provide a unified, high standard of care at the most affordable cost.

Recognized nationally for patient safety and clinical excellence, Hartford HealthCare boasts Leapfrog A-ratings across all our hospitals, making us one of the safest healthcare systems in the country.

Join us on our journey to reimagine healthcare. Visit www.HartfordHealthCare.org and stay connected through our newsletters and social media.

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