The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) has given Keck Hospital of USC a Gold Center of Excellence designation, recognizing it as one of the top extracorporeal life support (ECLS) programs worldwide.
Extracorporeal life support, also known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), is a process that uses a machine to remove blood from a patient’s body, cleanse it of carbon monoxide, oxygenate it and return it to the blood stream.
The ELSO Award of Excellence was developed to recognize ECLS centers that utilize the ELSO Guidelines for ECMO Centers and Training and Education. Each year, ECLS centers must submit an application that provides detailed information on seven sections of focus:
- Systems
- Environment
- Workforce
- Knowledge management
- Quality
- Process
- Patient and Family
Keck Hospital was evaluated on processes, procedures and systems to verify that it promotes exceptional care in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, going above and beyond expectations in following ELSO guidelines and developing quality initiatives. In addition, staff are given comprehensive, in-depth training and education, which includes a defined family education program.
Keck Hospital and all other applicants were judged by a committee of six seasoned health care experts with extensive experience in ECLS care.
— Kate Faye