North Shore University Hospital today announced the opening of a dedicated ostomy clinic to provide personalized attention to patients within the hospital’s suite of Levitt specialty services.
Multiple medical conditions may require ostomy surgery, which allows bodily waste to pass through an opening in the abdomen to a pouch outside the body. Surgeons create a small opening in the intestine on the abdominal wall — an ostomy – where stool can leave the body. If you have a temporary ostomy, it will be closed a few months after your surgery. A permanent ostomy is rarely needed.
The new clinic is a collaboration between wound and ostomy care and colorectal surgery teams with a focus on preparing patients with the skills and confidence needed to take care of their ostomy.
“We treat a range of colorectal conditions, from minor anal rectal issues to major intrabdominal surgery,” said Dr. John Procaccino, director, division of colon and rectal surgery at NSUH. “What’s important to me is giving our patients that individualized support, which continues well after they leave the hospital. This ostomy clinic highlights our commitment to quality of care.”
The first-of-its-kind dedicated clinic at Northwell Health is located inside the fourth floor of NSUH’s Levitt Clinic. The ostomy clinic takes a multidisciplinary approach to ostomy education and support after surgery. NSUH, which performs more than 700 colon and rectal procedures each year, will provide patient support for all related surgical procedures.
“Continuity of care is crucial to a patient’s recovery and overall experience,” said Dr. Marc Greenwald, surgeon-in-chief at NSUH. “Offering that support within a dedicated clinic streamlines the process for our surgical teams and gives patients a convenient access point for help going forward.”
North Shore University Hospital is a Level I trauma center and teaching hospital that treats more than 90,000 patients each year. It is home to the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital, the Katz Women’s Hospital, neurosurgery, multi-organ transplant services and one of the busiest emergency departments in the New York Metropolitan area.
It is a Magnet-recognized hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which spotlights excellence in nursing. In 2023, CMS gave North Shore gave the hospital it’s highest 5-star rating while US News & World Report named the hospital No. 1 in New York State and top 22 nationally.
For more information or to make an appointment, call 516-730-2111 or go to: https://nsuh.northwell.edu/colorectal-surgery.
