Newport Beach patients with endometriosis now have access to a nationally credentialed specialty program without leaving town.
Hoag announced Tuesday, July 14, that it has earned the Center of Excellence in Multidisciplinary Endometriosis Care designation from the Surgical Review Corporation, making it the first hospital in California and the first in the western United States to receive the credential. The designation signals that Hoag meets rigorous surgical-volume and staffing benchmarks set by the nonprofit patient-safety organization, which has accredited hospitals worldwide since 2003.
The program is co-led by Dr. Marc Winter, medical director of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at Hoag's Women's Health Institute, and Dr. Elizabeth Raskin, chief of colorectal surgery. Both serve as co-chairs of the Hoag Endometriosis Advisory Council.
"Working collaboratively with our team of specialists allows us to address the full scope of this disease, from diagnosis through advanced surgical intervention and long-term management, resulting in better outcomes and improved quality of life for our patients," Winter said in the announcement.
What the designation requires
To earn the credential, a facility must perform at least 100 qualifying endometriosis surgeries per year, according to the Surgical Review Corporation's published standards. Each lead surgeon must complete at least 50 qualifying procedures annually and have served as primary surgeon in at least 125 over a career. The program also requires on-site consultative services spanning anesthesiology, critical care, urology, vascular surgery, fertility, radiology, and pathology.
Hoag's team draws from 10 specialties, including gynecology, colorectal surgery, fertility and reproductive endocrinology, gastroenterology, urology, pelvic floor physical therapy, pain management, nutrition, mental health, and advanced imaging.
The physicians behind it
Winter has performed more than 2,300 robotic surgical procedures over a career that began in 1989 after training at UC Irvine's medical school. He is the first surgeon in California to hold both the Surgeon of Excellence in Multidisciplinary Endometriosis Care and the Surgeon of Excellence in Robotic Surgery designations from the SRC, according to Hoag. His Newport Beach office is at 5190 Campus Drive.
Raskin brings roughly 20 years of experience in colorectal surgery and also directs the Margolis Family Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program within Hoag's Digestive Health Institute. She sees patients at 500 Superior Ave., Suite 100, in Newport Beach.
Why it matters locally
Endometriosis affects roughly 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, and diagnosis delays averaging seven to 10 years are common because symptoms are frequently dismissed as normal menstrual pain. The condition frequently involves multiple organ systems beyond the reproductive tract, which is why the SRC credential emphasizes a multidisciplinary team rather than a single surgeon.
Raskin said the cross-specialty model is central to the program's approach. Endometriosis "often extends beyond gynecologic care, impacting multiple organ systems which requires highly coordinated treatment," she said in the announcement.
Hoag already holds the SRC's Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery designation and has logged more than 35,000 robotic procedures. The hospital was ranked No. 1 in Orange County by U.S. News & World Report.
Patients can schedule appointments at Hoag's Newport Beach, Irvine, or Laguna Hills locations.
