NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is Nationally Recognized as a Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety
The Bellevue Operating Room nursing team has earned the AORN Go Clear Award for successfully eliminating the risk of surgical smoke in the operating room
Mar 25, 2025
New York, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue announced today that it has been nationally recognized by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) as a Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Smoke Evacuation and has earned the AORN Go Clear Award. This recognition demonstrates the commitment of Bellevue’s Operating Room Nursing Leadership and Nursing team to provide a safe and healthy environment for both patients and surgical staff by eliminating surgical smoke, a hazardous byproduct of powered surgical instruments and lasers that poses significant health risks to those exposed. The AORN Go Clear Award is presented to facilities that have shown a proactive approach to protecting the health and well-being of everyone in the operating room by ensuring a smoke-free surgical environment.
“We are honored to be nationally recognized as a Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Smoke Evacuation with the Go Clear Award,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue CEO Eric Wei, MD, MBA. “Only a select group of hospitals meet the rigorous criteria set by AORN, underscoring Bellevue’s reputation as a leader in surgical care. It reflects Bellevue Hospital’s commitment to evidence-based practices and protocols that improve surgical safety, efficiency, and patient-centered care.”
“We are proud to receive this award from AORN,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief Nursing Officer Omar Abedalrhman, EdD, RN. “This award recognizes our exemplary perioperative nurses and their dedication to maintaining standards of care that help keep healthcare workers and surgical patients safe.”
“This recognition highlights Bellevue’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of surgical safety and protecting staff while achieving optimal outcomes for patients,” said Amit Uppal, MD, Chief Medical Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. “It means patients and their families can feel more confident in the quality of care they receive, knowing that the hospital meets nationally recognized safety benchmarks.”
“Receiving the Go Clear Award emphasizes the commitment to excellence shown by the Operating Room Nursing Leadership team,” said Manish Parikh, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Chief of Perioperative Services, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. “Through smoke evacuation education, compliance and teamwork, they help create a safe and efficient surgical environment for staff and make a positive impact on the entire healthcare community.”
“Surgical smoke occurs every day in operating rooms and poses health risks to those exposed to it. AORN created this program so that every facility can understand the urgency and take steps to protect the health and safety of patients, nurses, physicians, and support staff,” said David Wyatt, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, FAORN, FAAN, AORN CEO & Executive Director. “This Center of Excellence for Surgical Safety designation shows the community that the surgical teams at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue are committed to providing high-quality care.”
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MEDIA CONTACT: BellevuePublicRelations@nychhc.org, 212-562-4516
About NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the 851-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. The hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center and annually it sees about 103,000 emergency room visits, and more than 520,000 outpatient visits. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Bariatric Surgery; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Children’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue and follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter).
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About AORN
Founded in 1949, AORN is the leading professional organization for perioperative nurses, supporting the practice of more than 200,000 perioperative nurses by providing evidence-based research, nursing education, standards and practice resources to enable optimal outcomes for patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures. AORN unites and empowers perioperative nurses, healthcare organizations, and industry partners to support safe surgery for every patient, every time. For more information about AORN and its initiatives, visit www.aorn.org.
