MDNews - Greater Boston

Cover Feature Brian Kwon, M.d., with Quincy Medical Center's brand-new Zeiss microscope new technology adVances spine surgery at Qmc in Addition to vascular surgery, spinal surgery is another important part of Quincy Medical Center's enhanced surgical program. as part of this effort, Quincy Medical Center works closely with Brian Kwon, M.d., a spinal surgeon based out of new england Baptist hospital in Boston and an assistant clinical professor at tufts University school of Medicine. dr. Kwon specializes in surgery — specifically minimally invasive procedures — to address adult spine disorders. dr. Kwon consults with patients about two times per month at Quincy Medical Center, which he has been doing since 2005. he says plans are in the works to expand the amount of time he spends in Quincy. "there has been a push to create a more formal program, and the team here at Quincy is focused on getting more robust," Center was struggling to find as a stand-alone hospital. As part of the Steward system, Quincy Medical Center was able to preserve jobs and received capital for clinical and infrastructure projects. Steward's investment in Quincy Medical Center meant the level of care available to the community could be maintained and also provided Quincy Medical Center's patients with access to Steward's network of primary care physicians and specialists. "Steward has helped us beautify our entrance, improve parking and make our physical plant more attractive," Dr. Cadet says. "Steward has been investing in improving our facilities and helping this to become a full-service hospital. Through an improved physical plant, we hope to be able to bring obstetrics back. We need to redo our ORs [operating rooms] completely and bring in new services." An acute-care community hospital, Quincy Medical Center boasts state-of-the-art medical technology and a top-quality staff of almost 400 physicians and hundreds of support caregivers. It has long been recognized for its quality care, having received exceptional quality scores from national, specialty and state accrediting agencies. In fact, Quincy Medical Center received an "A" Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group in November 2012 and has earned a number of five-star ratings from HealthGrades. "In spite of all the financial issues we had, we have always stayed true to providing the highest-quality care," Dr. Cadet says. "Still, people don't always realize how great our quality is. But that kind of recognition confirms what we have known all along — that the quality of care provided here is equal to or better than the rest." and the operating room to expand the center's minimally invasive spine surgery capabilities." "spinal and back procedures are becoming finer with more emphasis on less invasive surgery with smaller incisions to help patients recover faster and shorten their hospital stays," adds nissage Cadet, M.d., Chief of surgery at Quincy Medical Center. "that is why we've invested in improving equipment, such as bringing in a Zeiss microscope, which we wouldn't have been able to do without being a part of steward." dr. Kwon says it is not possible to use minimally invasive procedures to treat all spinal conditions. he says taking a team approach to diagnosing patients and devising a treatment plan is critical to ensuring appropriate care. Because he comes to Quincy on a regular basis, more patients can receive the appropriate treatment closer to home. "establishing a high level of spine care at Quincy is important for this community," dr. Kwon says. "i am a firm believer in minimally invasive techniques because they lead to shorter hospital stays and help people get back to their lives." 6 | Greater Boston MD News ■ MdneWS.coM Surgical Services Among the many high-quality offerings at Quincy Medical Center is its wide array of surgical services. One area on which it has keenly focused is vascular surgery. "We have started to grow surgical services by focusing on what we know well and what nikhil Kansal, M.d., director of vascular surgery services at steward health Care we know can grow, like spine surgery (see 'New Technology Advances Spine Surgery at QMC') and vascular surgery," Dr. Cadet says. Quincy Medical Center has the ability to treat numerous cardiac and vascular conditions — ever ything from coronar y artery disease, congestive heart failure and Photos © ryan riChardson dr. Kwon says. "there have been major upgrades to equipment

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