Women First
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Designated Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital has received a prestigious designation. It has been named a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology. This honor, awarded by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, acknowledges the hospital’s and surgeons’ expertise and outstanding care for women undergoing minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. “This designation is an indication to our patients that we maintain extremely high standards in order that they receive safe and state-of-the-art care,” says Ray Wertheim, MD, FACOG, Co-Director, Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Center of Excellence at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital.

Well-Earned Award

To achieve Center of Excellence status, a multidisciplinary advisory board at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital established detailed guidelines over the course of five years to enhance expertise and improve already exceptional care. The guidelines were used to educate the entire medical team involved in the performance of minimally invasive procedures. There are seven surgeons designated as Center of Excellence surgeons at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. Among them is Dr. Wertheim. “The process of becoming a designated Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology has been a beneficial journey in assessing and improving our skills, processes and education here at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital,” says Dr. Wertheim, adding that, at just 1 percent, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital’s complication rate is among the lowest in the country.  

Patient Satisfaction

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital has long been a leader in the field of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, an advanced alternative to traditional open surgery. The highly skilled medical team performs 94 percent of gynecologic procedures using a minimally invasive approach, compared to the nationwide rate of 25 to 32 percent, according to Lynne Kennedy, RN, Program Coordinator of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital.
The center’s wide array of minimally invasive procedures includes treatment for uterine fibroids, stress urinary incontinence, abnormal bleeding, pelvic floor disorders, gynecologic cancer, endometriosis and uterine prolapse. “The advantage to the community is that women now have an opportunity to have the best possible care with a less invasive procedure which means that they will recover faster, have less pain and the results are more aesthetically pleasing,” Kennedy says. “The majority of patients go home within four hours of surgery and can return to their normal lives in two weeks or less.”