Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Hospital First in Lexington to be Recognized for Excellence in Robotic Surgery

Facilities selected for providing highest quality of care and patient safety

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 19, 2021) – Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Hospital are the first hospitals in Lexington to be accredited as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), a nonprofit, patient safety organization that develops and administers best-in-class accreditation programs for medical professionals and facilities around the world.

SRC’s Center of Excellence accreditation program ensures that the safest, highest quality of care is delivered to minimally invasive surgery patients worldwide, regardless of where they choose to have their procedure performed. The Center of Excellence accreditation was awarded to Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Hospital after the two facilities met rigorous, internationally recognized standards, demonstrating an unparalleled commitment and ability to consistently deliver safe, effective, evidence-based care. The accreditation program is structured to help providers continuously improve care quality and patient safety.

“Earning this accreditation for our robotic surgery programs is excellent news for our patients and for the robotic team,” said Tony Houston, CEO, CHI Saint Joseph Health. “It means patients have the opportunity to choose highly experienced surgeons with proven quality outcomes, and that our team is committed to excellence to improving the health of all patients. We are proud to receive this accreditation at both of our Lexington facilities, and to be the first in Lexington to receive this designation. This is exciting news for us all.”

Robotic procedures allow for advancements in minimally invasive surgical procedures. Rather than open surgery, minimally invasive procedures require a small bandage-sized incision using unmatched precision. Patients benefit from this type of procedure by participating in their surgical and recovery process with fewer opioids, experiencing more activity post-operative, significantly less pain, minimal scarring and returning to their normal, active life sooner.

Both Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Hospital are certified in robotic surgery for multiple specialties, including bariatrics, colorectal surgery, general surgery, gynecological surgery and urologic surgery. The system used at the facilities is called fourth-generation da Vinci Surgical Systems, which advances minimally invasive surgery across a wide spectrum of procedures. 

SRC’s accreditation program requirements and evaluation processes were developed in conjunction with industry leaders. A rigorous inspection, recently conducted by SRC, has concluded that Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Hospital have met or exceeded these comprehensive requirements and are truly committed to excellence. The inspection includes patient interaction during the continuum of care, starting with the pre-admission testing and scheduling, and throughout patient preoperative education, their surgical experience and post-procedure hospital care.  

The final step of the accreditation process is maintaining the recognition, and both facilities are continuing to evaluate patient experience and patient outcomes on an ongoing basis. The hospitals have a robotic surgery medical director who oversees monthly outcome reports that are reviewed at a quarterly Robotic Surgery Steering Committee Meeting, made up of Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Hospital health care providers who work in all areas that touch the robotic surgery patients during their time at the facilities.

To learn more about CHI Saint Joseph Health’s minimally invasive surgery, visit www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/lexington-surgery.

To learn more about the SRC accreditation process, visit www.surgicalreview.org/.

About CHI Saint Joseph Health
CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in CHI Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services toward a goal of building a healthier future for all. CHI Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves. 

About Saint Joseph East

Saint Joseph East is a 217-bed full-service community hospital located in the southeastern section of Lexington, Kentucky. Established in 1983, the facility serves residents of central and eastern Kentucky. At Saint Joseph East, ambulatory surgery, 24-hour emergency care and women’s health services are supported through a vast array of inpatient and outpatient programs. 

About Saint Joseph Hospital 

Saint Joseph Hospital is a 433-bed hospital located in Lexington, Kentucky. Established in 1877 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky, the facility serves residents of central and eastern Kentucky and is a nationally recognized tertiary medical center. Saint Joseph Hospital is Lexington’s first hospital. The hospital’s original mission was to provide compassionate care to the poor and underserved – a tradition still carried out today.

About Surgical Review Corporation

Established in 2003, SRC is an internationally recognized, nonprofit, patient safety organization dedicated to recognizing and refining surgical care. SRC accredits the top hospitals, surgeons and health professionals worldwide that meet our proven standards. Look for our seal, expect excellence. For more information, visit www.surgicalreview.org.

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