Nassau University Medical Center Accredited Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Nassau Health Care Corporation  

Nassau University Medical Center Accredited Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery 

East Meadow, N.Y., December 6th, 2022 – Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) has certified Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery. This designation is awarded to facilities dedicated to establishing a culture of excellence and committed to continuous improvement of quality and patient safety. NUMC met SRC’s rigorous credentialling requirements and received its accreditation in September 2022. 

Nassau Health Care Corporation is proud to announce that Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) is accredited as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery as of September 2022. NUMC’s Robotics Program debuted in 2020 and its accreditation is the result of a 2-year initiative to meet SRC’s accreditation requirements, which include performing over 200 surgical cases, training and certifying surgeons and Registered Nurses, and passing an on-site inspection of both the facility and staff. SRC’s Center of Excellence accreditation program ensures that the safest, highest quality of care is delivered to patients receiving robot-assisted surgeries worldwide, regardless of where they choose to have their procedure performed. 

“Earning SRC’s robotic surgery accreditation signifies our ability to consistently deliver the safest, highest-quality care to our patients,” said Dr. Venkatesh Sasthakonar, Director of Bariatric Surgery at Nassau University Medical Center and SRC Surgeon of Excellence in Robotic Surgery. “The Center of Excellence program fosters quality improvement in general robotic surgery.” Since its first case in October 2020, NUMC’s Robotics staff have successfully performed 361 robot-assisted operations with no complications. The Program’s growth over the past two years required significant effort and allocation of resources on behalf of the hospital, with the goal of providing all Nassau County residents with the most advanced surgical care. NUMC staffs 7 surgeons credentialed to operate the Da Vinci Xi® robot and a team of trained Operating Room (OR) nursing staff to assist. The hospital also implemented a train-the-trainer method to continue to grow the program.  

Dr. John Riggs, Deputy CMO, and Dr. Lambros Angus, Chairman of Surgery, have set internal credentialing requirements for physicians to use the robot, including completion of online learning modules, wet lab training, and proctoring. OR nursing staff received a combination of intensive training from Intuitive (manufacturer of the Da Vinci Xi machine) and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, which included online and hands-on training, and a competency review from Intuitive prior to certification. In addition to staff training and credentialling, NUMC also completed a 7-day quality training from Intuitive to prepare sterilization technicians to sterilize and reassemble the machine. 

Thanks to the da Vinci Xi robot, patients receive the highest quality advanced surgical care at Nassau University Medical Center. NUMC’s resident robot is the fourth and latest generation in the da Vinci surgical robotics series from Intuitive. Benefits of robotically assisted surgery include less pain and blood loss, minimal scarring, reduced risk of infection, and shorter hospital stays. Patients are almost universally discharged within 4 hours post-operation. NUMC provides minimally invasive robot-assisted surgery for bariatrics (or weight loss), OBGYN, and general surgery. Accordingly, NUMC certified overall as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery. Common minimally invasive procedures performed include gall bladder removal, hernia repair, bariatrics (or weight loss surgery), hysterectomy, pelvic mass removal, appendectomy, surgical oncology  and bowel resection. In line with NUMC’s mission as a safety net hospital, any patient in need of a surgical procedure utilizing robot assistance is eligible, regardless of insurance or inability to pay.   

NUMC’s accreditation as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery is an outstanding achievement that has furthered its ability to provide the very best in surgical care to Nassau County. Any questions about the Robotics Program for General Surgery can be directed to 516-572-5869, and any questions regarding Gynecological Surgery can be directed to 516-296-2138.  

With over eight decades of history in the area, Nassau University Medical Center serves as the region’s premier Level I trauma center, treating critically injured patients as well as providing coordinated medical care to Long Island residents at every stage of life. Nassau University Medical Center is committed to its mission of providing the community with outstanding and compassionate state-of-the-art medical and surgical care. 

CONTACTS: 

Niki Jones Agency
njones@nikijones.com
(P): 845-856-1266