Introduction

Prosthetic replacement surgery, such as hip and knee replacement, is a crucial medical procedure for many patients suffering from joint - related problems. In Albany, there are several hospitals that stand out in this field. The U.S. News & World Report has conducted evaluations and rankings of hospitals based on various factors, including clinical outcomes, patient experience, and health equity. This article will introduce three top - ranked hospitals in Albany for prosthetic replacement surgery.

Albany Medical Center

Overview

Albany Medical Center, located at 43 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208 - 3478, and with a phone number of (518) 262 - 3125, is a general medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital. Its evaluation also includes data from Albany Medical Center South - Clinical Campus. It is regionally ranked #20 in New York and #2 in Albany, and is high performing in 13 adult procedures and conditions.

Prosthetic Replacement Performance

Hip Replacement

• Overall hip replacement score: High performing. This hospital was evaluated among over 6,000 hospitals, and it achieved one of the top ratings, indicating significantly better performance than the national average.
• Quality indicators:
  • Survival: The relative survival 30 days after undergoing hip - replacement, compared to other hospitals treating similar patients, is rated average.
  • Prevention of prolonged hospitalizations: It has an excellent rating in preventing unusually long stays, as longer hospitalization may lead to or result from a complication.
  • Prevention of revision surgery: The prevention of the need for a second operation to remove or replace an implanted joint within a year of a patient’s initial surgery is rated average.
  • Infection prevention: Also rated average in preventing surgical infections in hip - replacement patients.
  • Number of patients: It has a very high rating in terms of the relative volume of Medicare patients age 65 and over who had hip - replacement in both inpatient and outpatient settings over five years. Higher volume is associated with better outcomes.
  • Patient experience: Rated poor according to the opinions of surveyed inpatients about the overall quality of their stay.
  • Nurse staffing: With a very high rating, more nursing care per patient is associated with better outcomes and better patient experience.
  • Board certified physicians: 95% - 100% of operations are performed by physicians who are board certified in orthopedics, which is an indication of expertise in the specialty.
  • ICU specialists: The hospital has at least one adult intensive - care unit staffed by a doctor specifically certified or trained to care for ICU patients.

Knee Replacement

• Overall knee replacement score: High performing. Among over 6,000 evaluated hospitals, it stands out with better - than - average performance.
• Quality indicators:
  • Survival: Relative survival 30 days after undergoing knee - replacement, compared to other hospitals treating similar patients, is rated average.
  • Prevention of prolonged hospitalizations: Rated excellent in preventing unusually long stays.
  • Readmission prevention: Rated average in keeping patients who had knee - replacement from being readmitted in the first 30 days after discharge.
  • Prevention of revision surgery: Also rated average in preventing the need for a second operation within a year of the initial surgery.
  • Number of patients: With a very high rating for the relative volume of Medicare patients age 65 and over who had knee - replacement in both inpatient and outpatient settings over five years.
  • Avoiding overuse of knee arthroscopy: It has a better - than - average rating in avoiding low - value arthroscopic procedures prior to knee replacement.
  • Influenza immunization of workers: Nearly all (90% - 99%) of healthcare personnel received a timely vaccination during flu season.
  • Board certified physicians: 95% - 100% of operations are performed by board - certified orthopedic physicians.
  • ICU specialists: The hospital has the necessary ICU specialists.

Other Areas of Expertise

Albany Medical Center also performs well in other medical fields. In cancer - related procedures, it has high - performing ratings in leukemia, lymphoma & myeloma, colon cancer surgery, and lung cancer surgery. In cardiology, heart & vascular surgery, it has high - performing ratings in abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, heart attack, aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, and heart failure. It also shows high - performing results in diabetes & endocrinology, gastroenterology & GI surgery, nephrology, pulmonology & lung surgery, etc.

Patient Experience

Patient experience scores at Albany Medical Center are generally low. With an overall 2 - star out of 5 rating, aspects such as satisfaction with the hospital overall, satisfaction with nurses’ communications, satisfaction with efforts to prevent medication harm, and satisfaction with hospital room cleanliness are all rated 2 out of 5 or lower. However, the willingness to recommend the hospital is 3 out of 5.

Health Equity

In terms of health equity, regarding racial disparities in outcomes, the days at home after knee replacement, hip replacement, or back surgery (spinal fusion) are better than average. However, the representation of non - white patients, especially black patients, is lower than the community. Charity care provision for uninsured patients is similar to other hospitals, and the representation of low - income patients is also similar to other hospitals.

St. Peter's Hospital - Albany

Overview

St. Peter's Hospital - Albany, located at 315 South Manning Boulevard, Albany, NY 12208 - 1789, with a phone number of (518) 525 - 1550, is a general medical and surgical facility. It is regionally ranked #13 in New York and #1 in Albany. It is rated high performing in 2 adult specialties and 15 procedures and conditions.

Prosthetic Replacement Performance

Hip Replacement

• Overall hip replacement score: High performing. When evaluated among many hospitals, it shows superior performance compared to the national average.
• Quality indicators:
  • Survival: The relative survival 30 days after undergoing hip - replacement, compared to other hospitals treating similar patients, is rated average.
  • Prevention of prolonged hospitalizations: Although not detailed in the reference like Albany Medical Center, based on its overall high - performing status, it can be assumed to have good performance in this area.
  • Prevention of revision surgery: Again, while not specifically broken down like some other data, it likely has good performance considering its high - performing rating.
  • Infection prevention: Presumably, it maintains a certain level of performance in preventing surgical infections in hip - replacement patients.
  • Number of patients: A high relative volume of patients, which is beneficial for outcomes.
  • Patient experience: It has a 3 - star out of 5 rating, with some aspects like willingness to recommend being 4 out of 5, while satisfaction with staff responsiveness is 2 out of 5.
  • Nurse staffing: Average in providing nursing care per patient.
  • ICU specialists: It has at least one adult intensive - care unit staffed by a doctor specifically certified or trained to care for ICU patients.

Knee Replacement

• Overall knee replacement score: High performing. Among over 6,000 evaluated hospitals, it earned this top - tier rating.
• Quality indicators:
  • Survival: Rated average in terms of relative survival 30 days after undergoing knee - replacement compared to other hospitals treating similar patients.
  • Readmission prevention: Rated average in keeping patients from being readmitted in the first 30 days after discharge.
  • Infection prevention: Also rated average in preventing surgical infections in knee - replacement patients.
  • Giving patients time at home: Rated excellent in enabling patients to live at home during at least their first 30 days of recovery.
  • Patient experience: Rated average according to surveyed inpatients' opinions.
  • Number of patients: With a very high rating for the relative volume of Medicare patients age 65 and over who had knee - replacement in both inpatient and outpatient settings over five years.
  • Avoiding overuse of knee arthroscopy: Rated excellent in avoiding low - value arthroscopic procedures prior to knee replacement.
  • Nurse staffing: Average in terms of nursing care per patient.
  • ICU specialists: Has the required ICU specialists.

Other Areas of Expertise

St. Peter's Hospital - Albany is high performing in many other areas. In cancer - related procedures, it has high - performing ratings in colon cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, and prostate cancer surgery. In cardiology, heart & vascular surgery, it has high - performing ratings in heart attack, aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, and heart failure. It also shows good performance in diabetes & endocrinology, gastroenterology & GI surgery, geriatrics, neurology & neurosurgery, etc.

Patient Experience

Overall, patients have a moderately positive view of St. Peter's Hospital - Albany. The overall patient experience rating is 3 out of 5. The willingness to recommend the hospital is relatively high at 4 out of 5, but there are some areas that need improvement, such as satisfaction with staff responsiveness, which is only 2 out of 5.

Health Equity

In health equity, racial disparities in outcomes such as days at home after knee replacement, hip replacement, or back surgery (spinal fusion) are average. The representation of non - white patients, especially black patients, is lower than the community. Charity care provision for uninsured patients is similar to other hospitals, and the representation of low - income patients is also similar to other hospitals.

Comparison of the Two Hospitals

Prosthetic Replacement Performance

Patient Experience

Health Equity

Both hospitals have similar issues in health equity, with the representation of non - white patients, especially black patients, being lower than the community. However, Albany Medical Center has better - than - average performance in days at home after certain surgeries for racial disparity outcomes, while St. Peter's Hospital - Albany has average performance in this regard.

Why These Hospitals Stand Out

Both Albany Medical Center and St. Peter's Hospital - Albany have high - performing ratings in prosthetic replacement surgery. Their high volume of patients indicates that they have a wealth of experience in handling these procedures. They also have a high proportion of board - certified orthopedic physicians, which ensures the expertise of the medical staff. In addition, their performance in preventing complications and readmissions, although varying in some aspects, is generally at a good level. Their comprehensive service capabilities in multiple medical fields also mean that patients can receive more comprehensive pre - operative and post - operative care if needed.

Conclusion

In 2025, Albany Medical Center and St. Peter's Hospital - Albany are two outstanding hospitals in the field of prosthetic replacement surgery in Albany. Albany Medical Center, with its high - performing status in multiple adult procedures and conditions and its relatively large scale as a teaching hospital, offers a wide range of medical services. St. Peter's Hospital - Albany, being ranked #1 in Albany, has a good reputation and strong performance in various medical specialties and procedures. When choosing a hospital for prosthetic replacement surgery, patients should consider multiple factors. If patients value a hospital with a large - scale teaching background and comprehensive medical resources, Albany Medical Center may be a good choice. However, if patients pay more attention to patient experience and the hospital's regional ranking, St. Peter's Hospital - Albany could be preferred. We encourage you to share this article with those who may need information about prosthetic replacement surgery in Albany. Also, if you want to learn more about these hospitals or other related medical topics, feel free to do further research and consultations.