Story by: Norton Children’s on March 4, 2021
Norton Children’s Hospital has been verified as a Level I Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons Children’s Surgery Verification Quality Improvement Program.
The verification means Norton Children’s Hospital meets standards that ensure that children facing surgery receive care under a pediatric multidisciplinary program with quality improvement and safety processes, data collection and appropriate resources.
The program is based on other nationally recognized American College of Surgeons quality improvement programs that have measurably improved surgical quality and have prevented complications, reduced costs and saved lives.
“This verification puts Norton Children’s Hospital among 30 facilities nationwide to secure this prestigious designation,” said Mark J. McDonald, M.D., medical director of Norton Children’s Hospital and Norton Children’s Medical Center. “The verification underscores that families in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Ohio can receive quality pediatric surgical care without traveling too far from home.”
The Level I Children’s Surgery Center at Norton Children’s Hospital demonstrated commitment to quality care through an emphasis on pediatric-specific training and certification in all medical and surgical subspecialties as well as nursing and ancillary staff. In addition, all surgeons participate in monthly meetings to review surgical outcomes. The surgical team also seeks continuous improvement to enhance structure, process and outcomes.
Norton Children’s Hospital met essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to appropriately care for the most complex pediatric surgical patients. Norton Children’s Hospital also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, thus identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement.
After applying, Norton Children’s Hospital underwent an extensive site visit by an American College of Surgeons team of surveyors. The surveyor teams consist of experienced children’s surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses who review the facility’s structure, process and clinical outcomes data. The current Optimal Resources for Children’s Surgical Care manual drives the application and is used as a guideline in conducting the survey.