Saratoga Springs, NY, January 19, 2004 – By demonstrating compliance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization’s (JCAHO) national standards for health care quality and safety, Saratoga Springs Plastic Surgery, P.C. has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for Office-Based Surgery. A doctor from JCAHO visited this office-based surgery center last month. He evaluated in detail how well the facility provides a safe environment for patient care, educates patient about risks and options for treatment, protects patient rights including the right to confidentiality, evaluates patients conditions before and after surgery, minimizes complications, and plans for emergency situations.

“My office has always been committed to providing convenience, comfort and safety when it comes to cosmetic surgery,” says Steven Yarinsky, MD. Dr. Yarinsky is a board certified plastic surgeon specializing in cosmetic surgery, and Medical Director of Saratoga Springs Plastic Surgery, P.C. “Elsewhere in the United States, office-based plastic surgery is so common that it accounts for the majority of cosmetic procedures done. However, office-based cosmetic surgery is rarely performed locally. Our recent Capital District poll showed that Saratoga Springs Plastic Surgery, PC is the only office of its kind to offer the full spectrum of local, general and sedation anesthesia services. We offer patients the luxury of having their facial or body contouring cosmetic procedure done in the office setting. In the 19 years of my medical practice, I have found that people would rather recuperate in the comfort of their home than in a hospital. New anesthesia and pain management techniques have allowed outpatient cosmetic surgery to dominate my practice. While many other states require accreditation for office surgery centers, New York State does not. My staff and I view obtaining JCAHO accreditation as another step toward achieving excellence and demonstrating our dedication to providing the utmost in patient safety and giving the highest quality care.” Only about two percent of office surgery centers nationwide have earned JCAHO accreditation.

“Dr. Yarinsky’s office surgery center, Saratoga Springs Plastic Surgery, PC, underwent a thorough on-site evaluation against nearly 150 standards that promote quality care and patient safety,” says Michael Kulczycki, executive director, Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program, Joint Commission. “Dr. Yarinsky’s decision to pursue this voluntary process demonstrates his commitment to providing high quality care in a safe office environment. His patients and the community should be proud that Dr. Yarinsky is focused on the most challenging goal – to continuously raise quality and safety to higher levels.”

Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations supports performance improvement in health care organizations such as area hospitals, laboratory and ambulatory care services, and office-based surgery centers. Accreditation by JCAHO is considered the Gold Standard in health care. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.

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