Dignity Health and UCSF Health Reach Definitive Agreement
SAN FRANCISCO (May 25, 2021) — Dignity Health’s Saint Francis Memorial Hospital has become the first hospital internationally to achieve accreditation as a Center of Excellence in Gender Confirmation Surgery by globally-recognized Surgical Review Corporation (“SRC”) -- a nonprofit patient safety organization dedicated to recognizing and refining surgical care.
“Health care organizations and surgeons seeking SRC accreditation undergo an extensive self-assessment and rigorous inspection process,” said Heidi Wittenberg, MD, Medical Director of Saint Francis Memorial Hospital’s Gender Institute. “This designation signifies that transgender, gender-diverse and gender-nonconforming patients can rest assured that they are at the very best place for their care and surgery--one in which their needs will be carefully assessed and expertly taken care of.”
The Gender Confirmation Surgery Center of Excellence (“COE”) accreditation signifies Saint Francis Memorial Hospital’s commitment to excellence in surgical care for transgender, gender-diverse and gender-nonconforming patients throughout the Bay Area and the world. Founding surgeons of excellence include Drs. Dev Gurjal, Scott Mosser, Thomas Satterwhite and Heidi Wittenberg.
“I’m so proud of this recognition, but more importantly, the great expertise, teamwork and compassionate care that allows us to receive this special accreditation,” said Daryn Kumar, MBA, FACHE, President and CEO of Saint Francis Memorial Hospital. “This is another example of how Dignity Health’s Saint Francis Memorial Hospital continues to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse San Francisco community.”
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital has a long history of caring for transgender and gender-diverse patients, beginning in 1966 by Dr. Edward Falces, who completed his plastics residency at Saint Francis and spent many years pioneering transgender and gender-diverse surgeries there. Now, a second generation of highly-experienced multi-specialty dedicated transgender-only surgeons continue the work begun by Dr. Falces: Adam Bonnington, MD; Jordan Deschamps-Braly, MD; Alexander Facque, MD; Dev Gurjal, MD; Min Jun, DO; Bounmany Kyle Keojampa, MD; Walter Lin, MD; Scott W. Mosser, MD; Angela Rodriguez, MD; Michael H. Safir, MD; Thomas Satterwhite, MD; Heidi Wittenberg, MD; and Katherine Yung, MD.
“We’re proud to recognize Saint Francis Memorial Hospital for its commitment to advancing and providing quality care for all patients,” said Gary M. Pratt, CEO of SRC. “This accreditation signals that the hospital is among the best in this specialty and is dedicated to delivering the highest level of care possible.”
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital launched its Gender Institute five years ago to deliver compassionate, high-quality, and affordable health services to transgender, gender-diverse and gender-nonconforming patients and their families. Led by a council of experts--including Gender Institute Co-Director Dr. Lin Fraser, EdD, former president of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), and Saint Francis Memorial Hospital’s Kecia Kelly, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE--the Gender Institute is committed to providing patients with the respectful environment that they deserve.
The Gender Institute’s multidisciplinary professionals together provide a comprehensive continuum of care to the hospital’s patients and their families throughout the pre-operative process, including a positive and supportive environment for transgender and gender-nonconforming patients to seek care, counseling services, and referrals to related resources and services. Saint Francis also includes cultural training for its staff to ensure a welcoming and healing environment for persons of all gender identities.
For more information about the Gender Institute at Saint Francis, visit https://dignity-health.cshcontentstage.org/bayarea/locations/saintfrancis/services/gender-institute.
To learn more about SRC and the accreditation process, visit www.surgicalreview.org.
About Saint Francis Memorial Hospital
Dignity Health Saint Francis Memorial Hospital is an accredited, not-for-profit community hospital that has been providing exceptional healthcare in San Francisco for more than 100 years. Located atop Nob Hill and adjacent to the Tenderloin District, Saint Francis is home to one of the City’s busiest emergency rooms, the Bothin Burn Center—the largest burn unit in Northern California—as well as the Saint Francis Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute, and the Gender Institute. With its close proximity to downtown San Francisco, Saint Francis also specializes in Occupational Health and Emergency Medicine. Saint Francis has been designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine and Hip/Knee Replacement Surgery and is a Certified Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. For more information, call (415) 353-6000 or visit DignityHealth.org/SaintFrancis.
About Surgical Review Corporation (SRC)
Established in 2003, Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an internationally-recognized, nonprofit, patient safety organization dedicated to recognizing and refining surgical care. SRC accredits the top hospitals, surgeons and health professionals worldwide that meet our proven standards. Look for our seal, expect excellence. For more information, visit www.surgicalreview.org.
Join our community:
www.facebook.com/SaintFrancisMemorialHospital/
https://twitter.com/SaintFrancis_SF
instagram.com/saintfrancis_sf
Publish date:
Thursday, May 06, 2021