Institute for Surgical Excellence Welcomes New Public Relations & Legal Experts to Drive 2020 Goals

WASHINGTON – The Institute for Surgical Excellence (ISE), a non-profit organization that convenes leading innovators, hospitals and surgical societies to push the bounds of surgical standards to improve patient outcomes, today announced new leadership on its Executive Board. Keith Nahigian of Nahigian Strategies, a nationally recognized health care communications strategist, will join ISE leadership to drive national storytelling about the importance of surgical standards of excellence, and William (Bill) Kennedy of White and Williams LLP, health care litigation expert, will provide legal insight to the growing organization.

“Keith’s communication experience and Bill’s legal expertise will be invaluable to ISE’s Executive Board. Together with other members of our Board, they will work closely with societies, government agencies, institutions, surgeons and patients to identify issues, set clearly defined goals, facilitate collaboration and better inform health care consumers about emerging surgical technology,” said Dr. Jeffrey Levy, ISE Interim Executive Director.

“As healthcare innovation is improving patient care at a faster and faster rate, it is key that ISE communicate effectively about innovation and new technology coming to market. We welcome Keith and Bill to their new positions as we collaborate together throughout the year ahead,” said ISE Executive Board member Dr. Martin Martino.

Keith Nahigian

Keith Nahigian, president of Nahigian Strategies, is a national public relations expert and recognized health care specialist. While Keith is now assuming a volunteer board role with ISE, he has been a part it since its founding, and was indispensable in the creation of this unparalleled, premier organization. Driven by his foresight into new technology and innovation, especially in the health care movement, ISE quickly became a principal convener and leader for the robotic, surgical space. Among his many career achievements, Keith managed the messaging priorities for Health and Human Services at the request of the Secretary and helped orchestrate both the Medicare Part D prescription drug enrollment campaign and the HHS Prevention and Value Driven campaign. More about Keith’s experience can be found here.

“As health care moves more toward transparency and patient empowerment, we want to equip patients worldwide with all the facts they need to confidently access their care options, from the experience of the surgeon to the equipment in which they use,” said Nahigian. “In 2020, I most look forward to working with patients directly to help tell their life-changing stories—stories that transformed their health and wellness.”

Bill Kennedy

Bill Kennedy, a partner at White and Williams, LLP, works with health care providers, medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical firms, senior care organizations, and a wide range of others against complex claims of significant injuries and damage. Bill works with clients to anticipate and avoid potential adverse issues and improve ultimate outcomes. Bill has served on the boards of a number of continuing care retirement communities around the country. Bill also counsels organizations on reducing the risk of abuse of children and youth. More about Bill’s experience can be found here.

“Robotic surgery is transforming health care,” said Kennedy. “Today, surgeons are able to challenge traditional operating procedures by reducing pain, risk and recovery time. In the history of our country, I cannot think of a time of more advancement or with more opportunity to better the lives of people suffering from illnesses or accidents than right now. ISE welcomes these cutting edge advancements in health care technologies, and I am honored to be part of an organization that prioritizes individual patient care and strives to better inform health care consumers. We work with many of the best surgeons and specialists in the world, and I eagerly await the great work we will accomplish in 2020 and beyond.”

Nahigian and Kennedy will join other members of the ISE Executive Board including Jeffrey Levy, MD, founder and CEO of CaseNetwork; Martin Martino, MD, Gynecologic Oncologist at Lehigh Valley Health Network, and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern Florida; John Porterfield, MD, Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; Dr. Carla Pugh, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery at the Stanford School of Medicine; and Dimitrios Stefandis, MD, PhD, FACS, FASMBS, Professor of Surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine, and Chief of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery and Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Surgery.

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About the Institute for Surgical Excellence (ISE)

ISE is a 501(c)(3) public charity, whose mission is to create lasting solutions for complex healthcare problems related to emerging technologies, with the ultimate goal to improve patient care and outcomes. ISE utilizes a systems-based approach (collective impact model) to bring together key stakeholders from a variety of sectors to identify issues, set clearly defined goals, facilitate collaboration, determine and fill gaps, and better inform health care consumers. ISE is embarking on a series of transformational projects with respect to the role and standards of surgical technologies, with the first and current focus on Robotic Surgery.  As part of this project, ISE continues to manage and develop the Robotic Training Network (RTN) through participation with hospitals across the country, and research-focused engagement with the Fundamentals of Robotics Surgery (FRS).