NWH Recognized for Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology

Keith Isaacson, MD and Stephanie Morris, MD Also Receive Exclusive Designation

Newton-Wellesley Hospital has recently been designated as a  Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology (COEMIG) by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) and Surgical Review Corporation, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the safety of surgical care nationwide. Simultaneously, Drs. Keith Isaacson and Stephanie Morris of Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Center for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, have also earned the COEMIG designation.

A COEMIG designation means that both the hospital and specially selected surgeons have undergone a critical review process and have met standards developed by the AAGL and SRC to ensure the efficacy, safety and efficiency of their minimally invasive gynecology capabilities.  Among the many qualifications considered are the experience of the surgical staff, the status of the hospital’s technology and equipment, implementation of comprehensive patient education and pre-operative counseling, adherence to established clinical pathways for perioperative care, and the availability and competency of the support staff and surgical team members.

“Earning this designation signifies our ability to consistently deliver the safest, highest quality care to our patients,” said Keith B. Isaacson, MD, Medical Director, Center for Minimally Invasive Gyn Surgery, Newton-Wellesley Hospital. “Our participation in the COEMIG program has focused our team on exceeding clinical benchmarks and guidelines. But most importantly, our commitment to excellence improves the health and well-being of our patients.”

The program was implemented to help expand women’s awareness of and access to minimally invasive gynecological procedures, which are now available to treat the majority of pelvic health disorders.  Minimally invasive procedures can preserve reproductive organs, minimize pain and scarring, and accelerate a return to daily living for millions of women diagnosed with common gynecological problems such as fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and pelvic organ prolapse.  However, minimally invasive surgery requires specialized technologies and advanced surgical education and experience, which may not be uniform from medical center to medical center. 

The Center for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS) at Newton-Wellesley Hospital provides women with benign gynecologic abnormalities relief from the symptoms of their conditions though advanced treatment alternatives and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery.

The MIGS Center offers women: complete evaluation of their conditions, including ultrasound and diagnostic testing in a single location; expertise in the least invasive approaches for treatment of common gynecologic conditions; treatment options including office procedures, minimally invasive surgical techniques and minimally invasive approaches to hysterectomy alternatives; and technologically-advanced, computerized, state-of-the-art equipment, including robotic surgery.

An important aspect of the COEMIG program is the creation of a data bank that will drive continual improvements in patient care over the long term.  Data from COEMIG participants will be routinely entered and analyzed to determine optimal treatment based on patient variables.  This information will enable better decision making not only at the individual clinician and patient level, but also at the level of public health and health care policy.  The COEMIG data collection effort aligns with those of organizations such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which focuses on comparative effectiveness research.

Some two-thirds of women experience a pelvic health problem over the course of their lifetime, usually during their childbearing years.  In the past, many conditions were treated by hysterectomy, which at 600,000 per year is second only to cesarean section as the most common surgery among U.S. women.

Despite the broadening availability of minimally invasive procedures, many women still undergo the trauma and extended healing period from an open abdominal incision for hysterectomy.  Many others undergo hysterectomy needlessly because less invasive procedures have been developed to treat their condition without it.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital is a full system member of Partners HealthCare System, Inc. (PHCS), a nonprofit organization that includes acute care hospitals Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's/Faulkner Hospitals, The North Shore Medical Center, and specialty hospitals McLean Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare, and the community-based doctors and hospitals of Partners Community HealthCare, Inc.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital provides a wide range of services, including medical, surgical, obstetrical, orthopaedic, pediatric and psychiatric care. Newton-Wellesley has been serving its community for over a century. The medical staff of the Hospital includes nearly 1,000 physicians practicing a full range of specialties. NWH is a major teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine and also has established post-graduate training programs for Harvard Medical School residents.

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