Keck Hospital of USC announced that it has become a Verified Comprehensive Inpatient Vascular Center by the Vascular Verification Program (Vascular-VP), a Quality Program developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) with the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS).
Vascular procedures and interventions address issues in a patient’s circulatory system, which is made up of the vessels that carry blood throughout the body. Common procedures include opening blocked blood vessels in various areas in the body, conducting operations to prevent stroke and repairing various types of aneurysms. Vascular-VP leverages the strengths and expertise of the ACS and SVS to provide an evidence-driven, standardized pathway for instituting and growing a quality improvement and clinical care infrastructure within a hospital’s vascular program.
To become verified, Keck Hospital met the standards outlined in the Optimal Resources for Vascular Surgery and Interventional Care (2023 Inpatient Standards), which addresses elements of vascular surgical and interventional care and quality.
“This ACS verification is a reflection of the comprehensive, high-quality care we provide in every facet of vascular surgery at Keck Medicine of USC,” said Sukgu M. Han, MD, chief of vascular surgery and endovascular therapy with Keck Medicine and co-director of the USC Comprehensive Aortic Center. “The verification process is a rigorous, systematic review of the quality of care, as well as the process of ensuring that the high quality is actively and meaningfully monitored and maintained. We are extremely proud of our care team, including surgeons, APPs and nurses, as well as administrative staff.”
As a Vascular-VP verified hospital, Keck Hospital also becomes an ACS Surgical Quality Partner. Being a Surgical Quality Partner signifies a hospital’s dedication to consistently improving procedures and approaches, while maintaining a critical eye on process at every step. The Surgical Quality Partner designation lets patients know Keck Hospital is dedicated to quality and relentless self-improvement and has been verified or accredited by the ACS. Patients can trust that the care they receive at Surgical Quality Partner hospitals adheres to the most rigorous standards in surgical quality.
“ACS Quality programs are grounded in more than a century of experience, and participation is an important measure of a hospital’s surgical quality. As an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, Keck Hospital has shown a commitment providing the best possible patient care, evaluating that care in a rigorous fashion and dedicating themselves to continuous self-improvement,” said ACS Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA.
Hospitals interested in participating in Vascular-VP can find more information on the ACS website.
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 88,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. “FACS” designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
About the Society for Vascular Surgery
The Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS) seeks to advance excellence and innovation in vascular health through education, advocacy, research and public awareness. The organization was founded in 1946 and currently has a membership of more than 6,000. SVS membership is recognized in the vascular community as a mark of professional achievement.
— Kate Faye