COEMIG Certification Assures Franciscan St. Anthony Health Patients the Best Treatment, Shortest Stays

COEMIG-Certification-Assures-Franciscan-St-Anthony-Health-Patients-the-Best-Treatment-Shortest-StaysBeing certified as a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology demonstrates a quality standard that assures Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Michigan City patients are receiving the best of care that also gets them home far sooner than in days past, said Lisa Hendricks, M.D., the hospital’s robotics medical director.

“The procedure is safer and results in less bleeding and infection and faster recovery,” she said, adding robotic surgery patients typically spend from eight to 24 hours in the hospital, compared to four or five days, as was typical when Dr. Hendricks began practice 18 years ago.

The hospital, which is the only one in Franciscan Alliance’s Northern Indiana Region to have the center of excellence distinction, has done nearly 600 gynecologic robotics procedures since February 2010, Dr. Hendricks said.

Franciscan St. Anthony Health further received national recognition when Dr. Hendricks and colleague Michael Messina, D.O., presented some of the data that led to the three-year certification at the Society of Robotic Surgery annual conference in Orlando, Fla.

“That was unique for a small, community hospital and allowed us to contribute to the body of knowledge in robotics by sharing our experience,” Dr. Hendricks pointed out, adding “It also shows that people don’t have to go to Chicago to get state-of-the-art care.”

The certification followed a rigorous site evaluation process, done at the hospital’s request, and conducted by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, through the Surgical Review Corporation. The certification has been offered since 2010, when the association, which has 5,500 members worldwide, asked the corporation to administer the program in an effort to improve quality of care.

Franciscan St. Anthony Health met the 10 center of excellence site requirements, while obstetrics and gynecology specialists, including Dr. Hendricks, Dr. Messina and Al R. Pamintuan, M.D., met the six physician stipulations.

Trish Weber, hospital vice president of operations and chief nursing officer, said the designation is further proof Franciscan St. Anthony Health’s commitment to providing the finest care.

“This shows that our facility and surgeons are among the best in their specialties,” Weber said, adding, “COEMIG designation is an ongoing process that promotes continued improvement of our hospital’s minimally invasive gynecology program, by ensuring everyone involved is dedicated to excellence.”

Dr. Hendricks said the certification likewise confirms the hospital is following the best quality standards and serves as a tool in providing evidence-based care that affirms the value and safety of minimally invasive surgery.