Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center renewed its status as  a Center of Excellence in Hernia Surgery (COEHS). For the second time, the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) has named the medical center a COEHS.

 A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or tissue through an opening in the abdominal wall. The symptoms of a hernia include developing a bulge and experiencing swelling and pain while lifting. According to National Center for Health Statistics, five million Americans have hernias.

Amit Gogia, M.D., FACS, is the medical director of the hernia program at the medical center. Dr. Gogia specializes in robotic-assisted minimally invasive repairs of complex hernias. Minimally invasive procedures have smaller incisions, and that can mean less pain, fewer complications, and faster recovery time for patients. Dr. Gogia was the first in the state of Virginia to successfully perform a robotic repair of a complex abdominal wall hernia and he’s performed over 200 robotic hernia repairs in the last year.

“It can be frightening to hear that you need surgery,” said Dr. Gogia. “I am dedicated to minimally invasive surgical approaches, because I know they lead to better short-term and long-term outcomes for patients. Better outcomes are why I was the first surgeon in Virginia to offer robotic repair of a complex hernia.”

To be named a Center of Excellence, the hernia program must meet certain requirements. The requirements include institutional commitment to excellence in hernia surgery, surgical experience, consultative services, continuous quality assessment, and more. Additionally, The COEHS is also required to have a minimum volume of 100 annual cases.

To maintain accreditation, Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medial Center undergoes evaluations periodically by the SRC. In addition, the CRC performs site inspections every three years.