Newport Beach, Calif. – Underscoring its commitment to providing superior patient care, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has been designated a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology by an internationally recognized authority.

Hoag joins only a few hospitals nationwide to receive the hard-earned COEMIG designation from the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL), which for more than four decades has been improving the lives of women everywhere.

“Earning the center of excellence designation signifies our ability to consistently deliver the safest, highest-quality care to minimally invasive gynecologic surgery patients,” said John V. Brown, MD, a nationally known specialist in robotic surgery who has been on staff at Hoag since 1990 and is head of Hoag’s Gynecologic Robotic Surgery Program.

Board certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as gynecologic oncology, Dr. Brown has extensive experience in minimally invasive procedures, including robotic surgery for endometrial cancer as well as early cervical and ovarian cancers.

“The COEMIG program fosters quality improvement in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, and our participation has focused our team on exceeding clinical benchmarks and guidelines,” Dr. Brown said. “But most importantly, our commitment to excellence improves the health and well-being of our patients.”

To earn the COEMIG designation, Hoag’s GYN Robotic Surgery team provided information on all aspects of its minimally invasive gynecology program and processes, including data on its surgical outcomes. The application, site inspection and evaluation process is rigorous to ensure that the safest, highest quality of care is delivered to minimally invasive gynecologic surgery patients.

The designation further enhances Hoag’s highly acclaimed GYN Robotic Surgery Program, Dr. Brown said. Hoag is the highest-volume provider of gynecologic robotic surgery in California, has the first multi-disciplinary program in Southern California and has the only integrated, multi-specialty GYN team in the state, he said.

The team has been able to take care of patients like Kristina, a 32-year-old diagnosed with ovarian cancer during her pregnancy who underwent laparoscopic removal of her ovary when she was five-months pregnant. After Kristina. delivered, Dr Lisa N. Abaid performed a robotic hysterectomy and complete staging procedure. She did not require chemotherapy and is doing well, Dr. Abaid said.

Another patient to benefit from Hoag’s expertise in women’s health care was Susan, 74, who had an abnormal pap that was ultimately found to be caused by an extremely rare form of uterine cancer. Susan underwent two robotic surgeries --- first a hysterectomy, then a staging procedure. She subsequently received chemotherapy and is without evidence of disease today according to Dr Abaid.

Hoag’s GYN team of board-certified surgeons includes gynecologists, gynecologic oncologists, reproductive endocrinologists and urogynecologists. The many benefits of robotic surgery including less pain, shorter hospital stays, smaller incisions, fewer complications, less blood loss and faster recovery, Dr. Brown said.

Each year, for the past three years, Hoag gynecologic surgeons have performed more than 1,000 minimally invasive gynecologic procedures for a variety of clinical conditions.