Lakeridge Health Oshawa honoured for second time by U.S. group for surgical excellence

Lakeridge Health’s Oshawa surgical team has been honoured by the American College of Surgeons for the second time in three years.

Just 77 hospitals around North America achieved ‘meritorious outcomes’ for surgical patient care in 2023, with Lakeridge Health Chief of Surgery Dr. John Dickie saying he was “thrilled” to be part of the select group.  “This remarkable achievement highlights Lakeridge Health’s unwavering commitment to delivering the highest quality of care.”

Lakeridge Health Oshawa participates in the Chicago-based institution’s National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP), which collects data on patient safety and tracks the outcomes of both inpatient and outpatient surgeries. The information helps the surgical teams identify areas for improvement and develop targeted action plans to make surgeries safer and reduce risks such as complications, infections, and even deaths.

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’re honoured to receive this prestigious award,” said Heather Lithgow, the Director of Surgical Services at Lakeridge Health. “This award is a testament to the dedication, skill, and relentless pursuit of excellence that our teams bring to every surgery. This recognition not only reflects our commitment to improving patient outcomes but also underscores the impact of our collaborative approach to care. We couldn’t be prouder of the entire team for making a real difference in the lives of our patients every single day.”

The award for ‘Meritorious’ status for excellence in surgical care is for surgeries performed in 2023. The hospital was also honoured for its surgical patient care in 2021.

“We’re incredibly proud of our surgical teams at Lakeridge Health,” said Lakeridge Health CEO Cynthia Davis. “The team’s dedication to a rigorous approach to quality improvement not only leads to higher patient satisfaction and better outcomes but also ensures we’re making the most of limited health-care resources.”

“We’re committed to delivering exceptional care and continuing to set the standard for excellence in everything we do.”

The ACS NSQIP program recognizes hospitals for achieving a high composite score in a number of categories from cardiac arrest and renal failure to surgical site infections.

Clifford Ko, the Director of the ACS Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, said the hospitals recognized “go a step further” for their patients. “Not only do they use the data effectively, they also have the results to prove they are achieving optimal patient outcomes.”

Lakeridge Health is hoping to expand the quality improvement initiative in the coming months to its other hospitals providing surgical services in Ajax, Bowmanville and Port Perry.

With five hospitals, four emergency departments, three critical care units, a long-term care home, more than 20 community health-care locations and the RS McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre, Lakeridge Health offers some of the broadest and most comprehensive acute care, ambulatory care, and long-term care services in Ontario.