Boston Hernia surgeons recognized by National Healthcare Quality Collaborative
BOSTON (PRWEB) June 29, 2023 -- The Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC) announced the Verified Surgeon of Quality Program this month, which is fitting as June is Hernia Awareness Month. The ACHQC is a non-profit organization gathering the world’s foremost experts on hernia and abdominal wall care all with significant commitment to improving the quality and value of care for patients with hernia or other abdominal wall diseases. This Verified Surgeon program distinguishes particular participating surgeons for their dedication to the organization’s mission.
Two surgeons within a local hernia surgery practice, Boston Hernia, are the only surgeons in New England to receive the Verified Surgeon of Quality endorsement by the ACHQC. Dr. Michael Reinhorn, founder of Boston Hernia, and Dr. Nora Fullington both specialize in ambulatory hernia care performing advanced, minimally invasive approaches to inguinal, umbilical, and other ventral hernia repairs. They care for more than 1000 patients with a hernia and another 1000 patients with other abdominal wall diseases in our community each year.
Recognition via the Verified Surgeon of Quality Program is reserved for active members of the ACHQC who diligently contribute clinical registry data for research and education, and are consistent collaborators in the organization’s continuous quality improvement programs. Participation at this level goes hand in hand with being at the cutting edge of hernia care.
Fullington has been practicing surgery for over 7 years and joined Boston Hernia in 2021. She trained as a general surgeon and specializes in hernia surgery stating “Specializing in one area allows us to set a new bar for the quality of hernia care. It’s amazing to see this focused care directly result in better outcomes for our patients.” Together with Dr. Reinhorn, the Boston Hernia team sees patients throughout the New England area as well as patients who travel from further parts of the country to seek their expertise.
Boston Hernia is one of only a few practices in the country that focuses on hernia care. Reinhorn, a hernia specialist for over 20 years, founded this practice “to change the way hernia care is delivered in this country. Through a relentless focus on quality improvement, we have eradicated common hernia surgery complications for our patients. Hernia care can and should be better and we deliver this high quality, value-based care for every patient we see.”
Both Fullington and Reinhorn have published numerous peer-reviewed articles and chapters educating colleagues on hernia repair and challenging current quality standards. They are experts in and champions of the open preperitoneal repair for inguinal hernias and have peer-reviewed data showing improved quality-of-life outcomes for patients who have this repair done in a specialized hernia center like Boston Hernia. They are also passionate about training other surgeons in the US on the Shouldice method, a non-mesh hernia repair first developed in Toronto, Canada. They have taught and mentored many surgeons nationally on this method, as well as internationally through their volunteer work with the Humanitarian Surgical Initiative.
In addition, Dr. Reinhorn chairs the Opioid Reduction Task Force for the ACHQC, working to identify ways to reduce opioid prescribing and utilization in hernia patients. This effort has significantly reduced opioid use after hernia repair throughout the country and has led the way for challenging the practices that have led surgeons to contribute to the opioid epidemic in the past.
Boston Hernia proudly reports that they tailor care to each individual patient. Where most general surgeons perform around 50 repairs per year and tend to have a favorite repair they perform on everyone, the surgeons at Boston Hernia are experts in several approaches. Fullington explains, “Performing a large volume of each surgical approach allows for expertise in each. When selecting which approach is best, I base my recommendations on the patient’s own characteristics rather than on surgeon preference.” They claim that patients who are better educated on their care both before and after surgery have better outcomes. “We take time with each patient to understand their expectations and discuss how best to accomplish their goals.”
Boston Hernia has offices with daily availability - usually scheduling new consultations within 10 business days - in Wellesley, MA, and Derry, NH. Surgeries are performed at ambulatory surgery centers in Waltham, MA, and Derry, NH, and at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, MA. To contact the offices call 617-466-3373.
Michael Reinhorn, Boston Hernia, http://bostonhernia.com, 1 6174663373, [email protected]
Share this article