DURHAM REGION — The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) has recognized Lakeridge Health as one of only 78 hospitals in North America to have achieved the “Meritorious” status for surgical patient care.
“We are very proud to be part of a select group of hospitals to receive this recognition,” said Dr. John Dickie, Chief of Surgery, Lakeridge Health. “Our teams embrace a culture of safety and continuous quality improvement. This award acknowledges our unrelenting desire to ensure patients receive the highest quality of care and best experience.”
“We are honoured to receive this prestigious award,” said Heather Lithgow, Director of Surgical Services, Lakeridge Health. “To obtain this level of excellence requires tremendous collaboration and partnership from all members of the patient care team. This award reflects Lakeridge Health’s continuous dedication and commitment to providing the highest quality of surgical care for patients.”
As a participant of the ACS NSQIP, Lakeridge Health collects data related to patient safety and tracks the outcomes of inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures.
“Collecting this data and measuring our progress enables Lakeridge Health’s surgical teams to identify areas for improvement and put action plans in place,” said Dr. Julia Jones, Surgeon, Lakeridge Health. “Through this evidence-based, quality improvement approach, we are making surgery safer by reducing negative outcomes, including deaths, complications, and infections or illness related to surgery.”
The ACS NSQIP is the only nationally validated quality improvement program that measures and enhances the care of surgical patients. For patients, this comprehensive, quality-driven approach to surgical care not only means the reduced potential for hospital readmission and decreased length of stay, but also higher patient satisfaction and better outcomes.
“We are extremely proud of Lakeridge Health’s surgical teams,” said Cynthia Davis, President and CEO, Lakeridge Health. “This commitment to a rigorous approach to quality improvement not only results in higher patient satisfaction and better outcomes for patients, but also fosters a more sustainable system that makes the best use of limited health-care dollars. The collaborative efforts of our clinical teams are contributing to our vision of One System. Best Health and exemplify Lakeridge Health focus on excellence, every day.”
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About Lakeridge Health
With five hospitals, four emergency departments, three critical care units, a long-term care home, a full range of medical and surgical specialties, and more than 20 community health-care locations, Lakeridge Health offers some of the broadest and most comprehensive range of acute care, ambulatory care, and long-term care services in Ontario.
Lakeridge Health is home to several regional specialty centres and services, including the Central East Regional Cancer Program, R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre, The Shoulder Centre, and eye care and chronic kidney disease services. Additionally, we are proud to serve our community with a full suite of inpatient, ambulatory, and community-based mental health and addictions services, as well as provide safe, high-quality, compassionate care in our state-of-the-art long-term care home, Lakeridge Gardens.
Guided by our vision of One System. Best Health. and supported by a dedicated team of more than 7,700 staff, physicians, and volunteers, Lakeridge Health is working in collaboration with its Durham Ontario Health Team, primary care, and community partners to foster a truly integrated, regional system of care. Together, we are focused on empowering people to live their best health and fostering an accessible, inclusive, and equitable environment for all.
For more information please contact:
Sharon Navarro
Manager, Public Relations and Digital Communications
905-435-7889
snavarro@lh.ca
