Newswise — GENEVA, Ohio—Hernia Awareness Month occurs each year in June, and this year the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC) is celebrating with the launch of its new Verified Surgeon of Quality Program. Amitabh Goel, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Surgery at University Hospitals (UH) Geneva Medical Center, and clinical professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, has been recognized by the organization as a Verified Surgeon of Quality.

The goal of the program is to distinguish participating surgeons and acknowledge their dedication to improving the value and quality of health care for patients who suffer from hernia disease and diseases of the abdominal wall or abdominal core.

“I’m honored to be named an ACHQC Verified Surgeon of Quality,” said Dr. Goel. “This program aims to improve the quality and value of patient care in our communities. I’m pleased to be working with my peers throughout the UH health system and across the country to ensure patients, especially those in rural areas, are in the best hands when it comes to their surgical needs. Maximizing healthcare value is one of our strategic objectives at UH.”

Dr. Goel has an interest in high value surgical care with a focus on improved efficiency, lower costs and improving the health care delivery process to rural and underserved areas. His clinical interests and expertise include Acute Care, General, Hernia, Laparoscopic, Breast Surgery and Endoscopy. In addition to the ACHQC and the American Hernia Society (AHS), he is a member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS).

ACHQC Verified Surgeons of Quality demonstrate a commitment to consistent entry of data in the ACHQC Registry and participation in ACHQC's continuous quality improvement programs including the annual ACHQC QI Summit. Importantly, patients recognize that surgeons who focus on optimizing hernia surgical outcomes can provide an enhanced level of care.

For more information, and to see the full list of current ACHQC Verified Surgeons of Quality, visit https://achqc.org/faqs/verified-surgeons-of-quality.

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About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio
Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 21 hospitals (including five joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship quaternary care, academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Oxford University, the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and National Taiwan University College of Medicine. The main campus also includes the UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, with more than 3,000 active clinical trials and research studies underway. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to 19 Clinical Care Delivery and Research Institutes. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with more than 30,000 employees. Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.