Winnie Palmer Hospital Receives Center of Excellence Designation from AIMIS

Nov. 19, 2010 - PRLog -- LAS VEGAS – The American Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery (AIMIS) today announced Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies in Orlando has received its Center of Excellence designation.

A hospital or surgical center can be recognized as a Center of Excellence once it has combined efforts with an accredited AIMIS surgeon and meets MIS standards. The Center of Excellence will have international recognition, and health plans often provide unique financial rewards. Recognized institutions have made minimally invasive surgery a priority, which helps minimize recovery times and provide better patient outcomes.

“Our commitment is to provide women the heartfelt care that only the most capable and highly-trained physicians can provide in one of the most technologically advanced environments,” stated Kathy Swanson, President, Winnie Palmer Hospital. “This achievement reflects that commitment and sets us apart as a national leader in women’s health.”

Winnie Palmer Hospital’s minimally invasive surgery program has shown significant growth recently. In fiscal year 2010, 75 percent of surgeries at the hospital were minimally invasive – an increase of more than 40 percent since 2008. The hospital also continues to exceed the national average for open versus minimally invasive hysterectomies. Sixty-seven percent of hysterectomies done at Winnie Palmer Hospital are minimally invasive, while the national average is about 20 percent.

“It is our pleasure to recognize Winnie Palmer Hospital as an AIMIS Center of Excellence,” said Dr. K. Warren Volker, CEO and chairman of AIMIS. “Not only have they embraced the cause and really prioritized minimally invasive techniques as an integral part of their practice, their success has proven this is a sustainable model for other hospitals,” he added.

About Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies
Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 285-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of women and babies. The hospital includes comprehensive fetal diagnostics and labor and delivery services, a regional center for neonatal intensive care, maternal intensive care and women’s services.  Annually, more than 14,000 babies are expected to be born at Winnie Palmer Hospital, making it the busiest labor and delivery unit in the state of Florida. To learn more, visit www.winniepalmerhospital.com.

About AIMIS
The American Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery is the nation's pre-eminent educator of minimally invasive surgical techniques. The organization both teaches minimally invasive methods and also supports graduates and members with opportunities where they can find marketing support, consulting services and strategies to help them grow and strengthen their practices. AIMIS also provides resources for patients, corporate partners and physician members and affiliates to help foster progress throughout the medical profession. For more information, please visit aimis.org.