Mount Sinai South Nassau Earns Top Marks For Pancreatitis Care

OCEANSIDE, NY — Mount Sinai South Nassau earned a feather in its caregiving cap this week, as the National Pancreas Foundation named it an adult pancreatitis center of excellence.

The center of excellence designation is given out based on the results of an audit and review of a facility’s pancreatitis treatment and care, specifically how the facility approaches a patient’s outcomes after treatment. Specifically, the Pancreas Foundation uses criteria developed by pancreatic disease clinicians and patient advocates with expertise in gastroenterology, pancreatic surgery, interventional radiology, pain management, psychosocial support and more.

Already on the list as a Pancreatic Cancer Center of Excellence, Mount Sinai South Nassau was one of just three hospitals in New York to be named a center of excellence in both pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

For Mount Sinai South Nassau officials, the award is a recognition of ongoing efforts.

“We are committed to continuously improving quality and providing compassionate, patient-centered care,” Interim President Joshua Kugler said. “That commitment combined with teamwork and collaboration, helps us deliver outstanding care and achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients.”

According to hospital officials, an important part of the pancreatitis care is an individualized approach, deploying cutting-edge technology to minimize the invasiveness while coordinating care across departments for things like pancreatic cancer, complex benign tumors, malignant tumors, and other liver, gallbladder, bile duct and pancreas conditions

According to Bhanu Singh, Interim Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mount Sinai South Nassau, this coordinated approach and the collaboration it requires is exactly why the hospital has received this distinction.

Singh said the approach has also helped Mount Sinai South Nassau treat the whole patient when someone comes in with a pancreatic condition. The pancreas, Singh said, is an area where diseases often require expertise across disciplines.

"The National Pancreas Foundation designation reflects our commitment to delivering comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for patients with pancreatitis," Singh said. "Pancreatic diseases are often complex and require expertise across multiple specialties. By integrating medical, endoscopic, surgical, and supportive care expertise, we are able to provide personalized treatment plans that address not only the disease itself, but also the long-term health and quality of life of every patient we serve."