Sinai Hospital of Baltimore Attains National Verification from the American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Verification Program

Baltimore, MD - Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, the flagship hospital of the LifeBridge Health system, is one of only 25 hospitals nationwide and the first in the D.C., Maryland, Virginia region to receive an accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program.

Older adults have distinct physical and social vulnerabilities, as well as unique goals for their care, that warrant a more thorough and individualized approach to surgery. The GSV program improves surgical care and outcomes for older adults by promoting comprehensive patient- and family-centered care, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and communication, and facilitating evidence-based practices. The program focuses on the overall health and treatment goals of older adults, emphasizing the importance of thorough evaluations before surgery, improved treatment plans, and highlights the significance of discharge and postoperative care plans to ensure continuous care throughout the surgical journey.

“At Sinai Hospital, we recognize that older adults have unique needs that require thoughtful, individualized care. This certification reflects our longstanding commitment to advancing geriatric medicine and ensuring that seniors receive the safest, most effective surgical care possible,” says Joshua Wolf, M.D., division chief of colorectal surgery and director of geriatric surgery at Sinai Hospital. “We are proud to be a leader in this space and to continue building on the foundation laid by Dr. Mark Katlic.”

The accreditation fulfills the vision of former geriatric surgery chair Mark Katlic, M.D. The

achievement was overseen by Dr. Wolf and Jasmine Demos, geriatric surgery lead and clinical program coordinator, who recently retired from LifeBridge Health.

As a verified geriatric surgery facility, Sinai has met the standards as defined in the Optimal Resources for Geriatric Surgery manual, which help ensure the most effective use of surgical care for a vulnerable aging population. These standards are evidence-based and define resources and processes that hospitals must have in place to perform operations effectively, efficiently, and safely for older adults. The standards are also patient-centered so hospitals can always prioritize what matters most to individual patients regarding their needs and treatment goals. The GSV program has been shown to reduce incidents of delirium and shorten the average length of stay in the hospital after an operation.

As an ACS verified hospital, Sinai 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 Sinai 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, Sinai has shown a commitment providing the best possible patient care, evaluating that care in a rigorous fashion, and dedicating themselves to continuous self-improvement," says ACS Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Turner, MD.