MDNews - Central New York

to incorporate the best available treatments into our pathways of care, especially as a patient's status changes, is something that requires constant attention from our team." IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR ORGAN TRANSPLANTS Kidney transplantation also has been an area of growth. In the past five years, the transplant program has increased positive outcomes for patients, with the 1,000th deceased donor transplant performed in late 2020 and more than 400 living donor kidney transplants to date. The average time it takes to receive a kidney transplant in New York State is five years, but Upstate University Hospital has cut that time in half. The team has also launched a pancreas transplant program, and the hospital has the only approved pediatric kidney transplant program in Central New York. Transplant Division Chief Reza Saidi, MD, FACS, FICS, says the program has developed a reputation for getting people timely transplants. PEAK SURGICAL QUALITY In December 2020, Upstate announced that the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) named Upstate Community Hospital as one of just 89 facilities nationwide for meritorious outcomes for surgical care. Among its many awards, Upstate also has earned DNV accreditation as a Center of Excellence for Hip and Knee and as Blue Distinction Center, which also was achieved by its spine program. The pancreatic surgery program is recognized by the National Pancreas Foundation as a National Center of Excellence, and the breast cancer program is accredited nation- ally. In 2018, NSQIP recognized Upstate University Hospital as a high performer regarding care of high-risk surgical patients. "The Surgical Quality Program focuses on monitoring and improving the quality of surgical care," Dr. VanderMeer says. "We believe that by measuring what we do and being intentional about the way we provide care, we can make sure that our patients' outcomes are always improving." Upstate Introduces TT Maze Procedure: An example of new offerings THERE'S GOOD NE WS for patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). The Upstate Heart Institute is now offering advanced minimally invasive surgery to eliminate chronic atrial fibrillation. The total thoracoscopic maze (TT Maze) procedure can be used for many patients in place of the traditional open chest maze procedure to correct severe abnormal heart rhythms. "TT Maze is a great treatment option because it provides a very high success rate without large incisions on the chest," says Stephen Waterford, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery. "Another benefit is that a heart-lung machine is not used, so the heart is left beating on its own during the entire procedure." Awareness of AFib has been growing alongside the increasing numbers of fitness devices and apps that moni- tor heart rhythms. But many of the six million Americans who suffer from AFib don't know they have it. "Many patients who didn't know they have AFib will come in for the very first time with a stroke, which is devastating," Dr. Waterford says. "If a physician has a patient with atrial fibrillation, they may want to contact us. "We operate a hotline Monday through Friday for physicians and patients," he adds. "It's already made a difference. We have had a lot of people who call the hotline who otherwise would never have been treated." Formerly at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, Dr. Waterford also specializes in mitral valve repair and surgical treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmo- nary hypertension. He joins cardiac surgeon G. Randall Green, MD, the Medical Director of the Upstate Heart Institute, in expanding the range of procedures offered. For more information about AFib, TT Maze surgery, or other treatments, call the Upstate AFib information line, 315-500-AFIB (2342). Chairman Gennady Bratslavsky, MD, and Vice Chair Oleg Shapiro, MD, head up the team of 23 urologic surgeons at Upstate Urology. Upstate Community Hospital orthopedics was awarded a DNV Center of Excellence designation for hip and knee replacement. The surgical skills of Timothy Damron, MD; Robert Sherman, MD; and Emil Azer, MD, contributed to this honor. 0 8❱❱❱❱❱ C O V E R S T O R Y

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