The Highest Honors for Quality and Patient Safety
At Orthopedic Associates of Hartford (OAH), excellence isn’t a goal. It’s a standard. Across our family of surgery centers, our physicians, surgeons, nurses, and staff show up every day with one shared purpose: to deliver the safest, highest-quality orthopedic care possible. That commitment doesn’t go unnoticed. In recent years, our surgery centers have earned some of the most prestigious national recognitions in outpatient healthcare – distinctions that reflect the pride, skill, and dedication of every member of our team and give our patients and community the confidence they deserve when choosing where to receive care.
Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers for Orthopedics
Orthopedic Associates Surgery Center (OASC) in Rocky Hill has been named to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers for Orthopedics, placing OASC among the top 15% of ambulatory surgery centers in the nation. This distinction is based on objective measures of patient outcomes and safety, including complications, unplanned hospital admissions, and emergency department visits following outpatient procedures.
“This national recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centered care,” said Dr. Pietro Memmo, President of Orthopedic Associates of Hartford. “This distinction reflects the expertise of our physicians and the strength of our care model.”
Top Ambulatory Surgery Center
All three OAH surgery centers have earned the Leapfrog Top Ambulatory Surgery Center designation, a national recognition awarded annually by The Leapfrog Group, an independent watchdog organization known for setting rigorous standards for healthcare safety and quality. The award recognizes facilities that demonstrate excellence across performance standards, including error prevention, patient experience, hand hygiene, staffing, and adherence to surgical safety protocols.
Orthopedic Associates Surgery Center has earned the distinction for three consecutive years, making it one of only 19 centers nationwide to achieve that milestone and one of only 37 centers nationally to receive the honor in 2025.
“Once, twice, and now for a third time reinforces our commitment to the continuous pursuit of excellence,” said Dr. Robert Carangelo, Joint Replacement Specialist and President of Orthopedic Associates Surgery Center. “We are proud to provide the very best in outpatient orthopedic care and grateful that our efforts continue to be recognized at a national level.”
Advanced Certification in Total Joint Replacement and Complex Spine Surgery
All three OAH surgery centers – Orthopedic Associates Surgery Center, Hartford Surgery Center, and Glastonbury Surgery Center – have earned Advanced Certification in Total Joint Replacement from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). The certifications represent extensive evaluation across infection prevention, patient education, clinical peer review, quality improvement, and community outreach, a comprehensive measure of a facility’s commitment to the highest standard of care.
Hartford Surgery Center has gone even further, becoming the first center in Connecticut, and one of only ten in the United States, to achieve dual AAAHC certification in both total joint replacement and complex spine surgery.
“We’re doing what few others in the region, and even nationally, are doing in an ambulatory setting,” said Dr. Steve Zhou, 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.”
What This Means for You
These recognitions are more than awards on a wall. They are a reflection of the people behind them and a promise to every patient who walks through our doors. When you choose OAH, you choose a team that has been nationally validated for safety, quality, and outcomes. You can make your move with confidence.