(L to R): Darren Glass, MD, board-certified general and bariatric surgeon; Franci Sifers, MSN, RN, bariatric coordinator; and Kelleigh O'Toole, RD, bariatric dietitian.
Salem, VA — LewisGale Medical Center announced today that its bariatric surgery center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint Quality Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
The MBSAQIP Standards, Optimal Resources for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, ensure that metabolic and bariatric patients receive multidisciplinary medical care, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. MBSAQIP-accredited centers offer preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for patients with obesity.
“To earn the MBSAQIP designation, LewisGale Medical Center is meeting essential criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure, and protocols for care, ensuring our ability to support patients with severe obesity,” said Darren Glass, board-certified general and bariatric surgeon with LewisGale Physicians. “The bariatric program also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement.”
LewisGale Medical Center’s commitment to quality care begins with expertly trained staff and the leadership of an experienced bariatric surgeon. The program is tasked with continuous review of surgical data as they improve the structure and expertise necessary to provide safe, high-quality care to all metabolic and bariatric patients.
"Patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving care at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality in the greater Roanoke Valley," said Alan Fabian, market president and chief executive officer at LewisGale Medical Center. "This national recognition for excellence in bariatric surgery is yet another example of our commitment to offer the highest quality care close to home.”
After applying for MBSAQIP accreditation, centers undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon who reviews the center's structure, processes, and clinical outcomes data. Centers that earn accreditation are awarded a specific designation level, depending on how many patients it serves annually, critical care capabilities, the types of procedures provided, and whether it provides care to patients under the age of 18.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates about 93 million adults in the United States are affected by obesity and that number continues to increase. Obesity increases the risks of morbidity and mortality because of the diseases and conditions that are commonly associated with it, such as type II diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among other health risks. Metabolic and bariatric surgery has proven to be effective in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to obesity.* Working together, the ACS and the ASMBS have developed accreditation standards for metabolic and bariatric surgery to assist patients with obesity in identifying centers that provide optimal patient care.
For more information on weight loss surgery options and free informational seminars at LewisGale Medical Center, visit their website or call (540) 772-3620.
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*Buchwald H, Avidor Y, Braunwald E, et al. Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2004;292(14):1724-1737. DOI:10.1001/jama.292.14.1724.