Two women's wellness practices at MedStar Washington Hospital Center have been awarded the Safety Certification in Outpatient Practice Excellence (SCOPE) for Women's Health by the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG). The Washington Women's Wellness Center and a sub-specialty, the National Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery are the first and only obstetrics and gynecology offices in the District of Columbia to receive this exceptional honor.
A SCOPE certification recognizes medical practices that are leaders in women's health care. Participation in the SCOPE program is voluntary. To achieve the recognition, both practices underwent a rigorous review process, which included an on-site visit. Surveyors gathered real-time data and analyzed patient safety concepts and techniques in the office. Once the office satisfied all the criteria, a three-year SCOPE certification was granted.
"This advanced certification demonstrates MedStar Washington Hospital Center's commitment in providing the safest care possible for women," said Tamika C. Auguste, MD, FACOG, director OB/GYN Simulation for MedStar Health. "The team of clinicians comes to work each day knowing that we work in an environment where safety is a top priority."
As the complexity of health care delivery increases, having robust patient safety efforts is essential in order to provide optimal health care for women. Comprehensive patient safety measures can reduce medical errors and risk. Both offices consistently take time before a procedure to ensure a patient understands what will take place, and the offices routinely screen for depression and domestic violence, which lead to positive patient outcomes.
"Patients have a choice and as they become more aware of their health and options for medical care, it's important that we are transparent, so they can choose a safe facility," added Dr. Auguste.
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