Friday, September 25, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, AL --- The American Society of Breast Surgeons recently recognized Dr. Thomas Gaskin for successfully completing the Mastery of Breast Surgery Pilot Program. This program is a Continuous Quality Improvement Initiative developed by the American Society of Breast Surgeons to educate and train surgeons holding a vested interest in breast care and in the improvement of quality service delivery.

This voluntary self-reporting program was developed in response to the critical need for quality outcomes documentation in breast care. It was founded based on the need for ongoing quality improvement in breast surgery and thus in patient care. It is open to all surgeons of any practice specialty and requires reporting on all open breast surgical procedures for benign and malignant disease.

After completing an application, accepted practices used the Society’s data software program to record results for all procedures over a minimum of three consecutive months. Dr. Gaskin’s recognition of the need for quality improvement and his proactive participation in the Mastery of Breast Surgery Pilot Program not only provided useful data to the American Society of Breast Surgeons, but also demonstrate his lifelong investment and dedication to providing excellent patient care.

“It was an honor to be asked to apply and I’m proud that I was selected,” said Dr. Gaskin. “I am humbled by the responsibility of submitting all of my procedures for inclusion in this very important database.”

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About Princeton Baptist Medical Center - Opened in 1922, Princeton Baptist is the flagship hospital of Baptist Health System. Today, Princeton Baptist is a full service tertiary hospital with approximately 1,200 employees providing a wide range of services including such specialties as diagnostic imaging, cancer treatment, wound care, cardiac services and surgery, pulmonary medicine, neurosurgery, obstetrics and orthopedics.

About Baptist Health System - Founded in 1922, Baptist Health System, Inc. is one of the largest health care systems in Alabama and one of the state's largest employers. The System is a not-for-profit, 501(c) corporation that owns and manages four hospitals in the state of Alabama. Baptist Health System is a ministry of the churches of the Birmingham Baptist Association, whose representatives elect the Board of Trustees. It was founded in 1922 by a group of local Baptist congregations.