January 25, 2012 (CHARLESTON, SC) — The National Association For Continence (NAFC) has designated the National Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, as a Center of Excellence (COE): Continence Care for Women. Drs. Cheryl Iglesia, Robert Gutman, Andrew Sokol and Amy Park are the principal physicians in this COE.

It’s estimated that over 25 million adult Americans experience loss of bladder or bowel control. Because age is a risk factor for such health problems, the prevalence of those experiencing these problems is likely to grow because of the aging baby boomer generation. Each day another 10,000 Americans turn 65 years of age. NAFC’s National Centers of Excellence: Continence Care initiative was established to offer consumers, seeking solutions to their bladder and bowel control problems and related pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), a reliable, trustworthy means of finding an experienced and well-trained team of experts. The COE designation is based on evidence of extensive training, clinical experience, interdisciplinary resources and patient satisfaction statistics that meet established standards. Health care institutions seeking to apply for this designation must first meet prequalification requirements set by NAFC and its COE Review Committee. A complete list of the requirements can be found on NAFC’s website.

A multi-step process must be completed to achieve COE status. First, a qualified health care facility, together with two or more physicians, completes an application. Once minimal requirements are deemed satisfied, patient satisfaction data collection is initiated by means of a confidential survey, results of which are analyzed and discussed with all individuals who are part of the application, for interim status. Once interim status is achieved, a qualified NAFC staff member makes a site visit to the facility and interviews the entire team of providers and the support staff. A full written report is subsequently submitted to the COE Review Committee to determine if COE designation can be granted or if additional data is needed. From beginning to end the entire process is patient-centered in criteria. Fully approved status is valid for three years before renewal.

The National Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery at Washington Hospital Center prides itself on its strong interdisciplinary team orientation. It is considered a jointly held section in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Urology. Urology students at the Hospital Center do a rotation through urogynecology as part of their training. “All of us work very closely together,” says Cheryl Iglesia, MD, director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. “Every morning begins with a team ‘huddle’ that helps us feel a sense of teamwork before we begin treating our patients. This is just one way we show our support to each other.”

“We pride ourselves on having a team process that drives clinical excellence. It represents a patient’s passport to care and this COE designation is refective of that commitment,” says Janis Orlowiski, MD, MACP, senior vice president of Medical Affairs and chief medical officer at Washington Hospital Center. “Our culture of service is one of advancing health while caring for people—integrating a culture of safety the entire time.”

About Washington Hospital Center

Washington Hospital Center is a 926-bed major teaching and research hospital. It is the largest private, not-for-profit hospital in the nation’s capitol, among the 50 largest hospitals in the nation and a major referral center for the most complex tertiary services. It consistently ranks among the nation’s top hospitals as recognized in the U.S. News & World Report. The Hospital Center is a national leader in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and endocrinology, emergency medicine, geriatrics, women’s services, trauma and burn care, and neurosciences. It operates MedSTAR, one of the country’s top shock-trauma and medevac programs, and also operates the region’s only adult burn center.