Dignity Health—Mercy Hospitals Bakersfield Maintains Center of Excellence Accreditation in Minimally Invasive & Robotic Surgery

Bakersfield, CA, January 17, 2024 - The S.A. Camp Companies Robotic Surgical Center at Mercy Hospitals Bakersfield continues its accreditation from the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) in five Centers of Excellence in minimally invasive and robotic surgical procedures. Mercy Hospitals first achieved this recognition in 2020 and signals Mercy's continued commitment and high standard of delivery of quality patient care and safety.

Status as an accredited Center of Excellence means that Mercy’s Robotic Surgical Center has met nationally and internationally recognized standards. Not all hospitals and surgeons seek accreditation; not all that undergo the rigorous inspection process are granted accreditation.

“Our surgical team is honored to earn this achievement,” said Dr. Lorenc Malellari, MD, Colorectal Surgeon and Medical Director of the S.A. Camp Companies Robotic Surgical Center. “Our commitment remains to provide our patients the highest quality, minimally invasive surgical care that gets them back to their lives faster.”

Health care facilities and surgeons seeking an SRC accreditation undergo an extensive assessment and inspection process to ensure the applicant meets SRC’s proven standards and requirements. These requirements include surgical volumes, facility equipment, clinical pathways and standardized operating procedures, an emphasis on patient education and continuous quality assessment. Inspectors educate staff in the accredited departments on best practices to help an organization improve its care and services.

Mercy Hospitals has achieved Centers of Excellence in the following:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Hernia Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Gynecology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Robotic Surgery

Each Center of Excellence has a Surgeon of Excellence who is directing the technology, efficiency, and overall outcomes for their designated minimally invasive surgical procedure. The following physicians have earned Surgeon of Excellence designations:

• Dr. Lorenc Malellari, MD, FACS, Colorectal Surgeon
• Dr. John Garcia, MD, General Surgeon
• Dr. Justin Lee, MD, Urogynecologist
• Dr. Jonathan Tammela, MD, Gynecologic Oncologist
• Dr. Erica Manrriquez, MD, Gynecologic Oncologist
• Dr. Jorge Enriquez, MD, General Surgeon
• Dr. Arpit Patel, MD, General Surgeon

“Our Centers of Excellence have been made possible by the high quality surgeons and surgical teams that we have at Mercy Hospitals,” said Benjamin Predum, President & CEO of Mercy Hospitals. “These accreditations signal that our surgeons are among the best in their specialty and are dedicated to serving our patients with exceptional standards.”

For more information about SRC and its accreditation process, visit surgicalreview.org. For more information regarding our robotic surgical program, please visit our website at dignityhealth.org/bakersfield/roboticsurgery.

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About Mercy Hospitals Bakersfield

Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Hospitals have a history of caring for our community that goes back more than 100 years. We provide a broad range of medical and surgical services including minimally invasive and outpatient options. Our family of services includes the area's only inpatient oncology unit, the Orthopedic, Spine, and Hand Center, Family Birth Center, the Lactation Support Center and retail store, and many others. Mercy Hospital Downtown is a 194-bed facility located in downtown Bakersfield. Mercy Hospital Southwest is a 78-bed facility and the only hospital located in the rapidly growing area west of Highway 99. Mercy Hospital is a member of Dignity Health and is a trusted community partner, serving residents of Bakersfield and Kern County with quality, compassionate care since 1910. Learn more at dignityhealth.org/mercybakersfield.

About Surgical Review Corporation

Established in 2003, Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an internationally recognized, nonprofit, patient safety organization dedicated to recognizing and refining surgical care. SRC accredits the top hospitals, surgeons and health professionals worldwide that meet our proven standards. Look for our seal, expect excellence. For more information, visit www.surgicalreview.org.