UI Hospitals and Clinics named Center of Excellence for bariatric surgery

University of Iowa Health Care leaders announced today that UI Hospitals and Clinics has been named an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Center of Excellence.

Faced with clinical evidence that the most experienced and best-run bariatric surgery programs have by far the lowest rates of complications, the ASMBS Centers of Excellence program was created to recognize bariatric surgery centers that perform well and to help surgeons and hospitals continue to improve the quality and safety of care provided.

To earn a Center of Excellence designation, UI Hospitals and Clinics underwent a site inspection during which all aspects of the bariatric surgery program — UI Obesity Surgery — and its surgical processes were closely examined, and data on health outcomes was collected. In becoming a Center of Excellence, UI Obesity Surgery has held itself to some of the highest standards in the industry. The designation is indicative of the program’s demonstrated track record and comprehensive commitment to a high level of bariatric care.

The Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence program benefits patients by enhancing safety and advocacy efforts, providing a platform for continuously improving the procedure, building a shared database to help guide decisions about patient care, and advancing research in the field.

Obesity has become a significant national health issue, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that 66 percent of all U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Morbid obesity is closely correlated with a number of serious conditions that severely undermine the health of overweight patients, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Bariatric surgery, when performed correctly, can help obese patients manage these conditions. By definition, surgeons with ASMBS Center of Excellence designations practice only top-quality care, ensuring efficacy of the procedure with each patient to the best of their abilities.

UI Obesity Surgery provides a comprehensive pre-operative patient education program and a multidisciplinary approach to patient care. The program’s low complication rates match, and even exceed, the best published national series in the field, making the UI Obesity Surgery program one of the nation’s safest. A long-term, post-operative follow-up process maximizes weight loss.

Isaac Samuel, M.D., director of UI Obesity Surgery, stated, “UI Hospitals and Clinics is widely recognized as the birthplace of obesity surgery. Edward Mason, M.D., professor emeritus, was the first to conceptualize and perform gastric bypass operations for severe obesity in 1965 and is widely known as the father of obesity surgery. I thank the entire team for working hard over the past three years to achieve this special designation.”

The program was the first in Iowa to offer minimally invasive laparoscopic gastric bypass for the treatment of severe obesity. Results show that this technically complex procedure can be performed safely at specialized centers. Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is associated with less post-operative pain, reduced hospital stays, earlier return to work and substantial cosmetic benefits.

In 2005, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa designated UI Hospitals and Clinics as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. The national Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association “Blue Centers for Bariatric Surgery” status followed in 2006. Those designations also underscored the program’s excellence in patient education and outstanding clinical outcomes.

For further information, visit http://www.uihealthcare.com/weight.

STORY SOURCE: Joint Office for Marketing and Communications, University of Iowa Health Care, 200 Hawkins Drive, Room E110 GH, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1009
MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Moore, 319-356-3945, thomas-moore@uiowa.edu

MFA Division of Bariatric Surgery Named Center of Excellence for High-Quality Care In Bariatric Surgery

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates (MFA) Division of Bariatric Surgery announced today that it has been named an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. The ASMBS Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery.

According to a report released in 2007 by the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality, the number of bariatric surgeries has grown from
16,000 procedures performed in 1992 to 170,000 performed in 2005. Faced with clinical evidence that the most experienced and best-run bariatric surgery programs have by far the lowest rates of complications, the ASMBS Centers of Excellence program was created to recognize bariatric surgery centers that perform well and to help surgeons and hospitals continue to improve the quality and safety of care provided.

To earn a Center of Excellence designation, the division of Bariatric
Surgery underwent a series of site inspections during which all aspects of
the program’s surgical processes were closely examined and data on health
outcomes was collected. The division of Bariatric Surgery and other centers
receiving the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation agree to
continue to share information on clinical pathways, protocols and outcomes
data.

“Due to the increasing prevalence of morbid obesity and the inherent
risks and the opportunities available to greatly improve the health of this
patient population, we recognize the need to implement a systematic
approach to improving quality,” said Dr. Paul Lin, Vice Chairman of the
Department of Surgery and Chief and Program Director of the Division of
General Surgery at the MFA. “At MFA’s Division of Bariatric Surgery, we
believe that the ASMBS Centers of Excellence program will serve as a
catalyst, driving strong programs to get even better,” said Dr. Frederick
Brody, Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of Minimally Invasive
Surgery.

Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to
pursuing surgical excellence, formulates and establishes the rigorous
standards with which the MFA Division of Bariatric Surgery and other
Centers of Excellence must comply, thoroughly inspects and evaluates each
candidate for designation, and upon review recommends approval of
designation for those physicians and facilities whose practices and
outcomes meet the stringent demands set forth by SRC for ASMBS.

Obesity has become a significant national health issue, with the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that 66 percent of all U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Morbid obesity is closely
correlated with a number of serious conditions that severely undermine the
health of overweight patients, including heart disease, high blood pressure
and diabetes.

Bariatric surgery, when performed correctly, can help obese patients
manage these conditions. By definition, surgeons with ASMBS Center of
Excellence designations practice only top-quality care, ensuring efficacy
of the procedure with each patient to the best of their abilities.

As a pioneering organization, designating Centers of Excellence based
on top quality care and efficacious outcomes, the American Society for
Bariatric Surgery, with the help of SRC, is working to align the common
interests of patients, surgeons, hospitals and insurers, all of whom suffer
when complications develop after surgical care.

About The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates

The GW Medical Faculty Associates (MFA) is a non-profit, 501(c) (3)
physician group practice corporation comprising the academic clinical
faculty for The George Washington University Medical Center. In its sixth
year of existence, the MFA has grown to include over 300 physicians
providing medical care in 41 specialty areas. Aside from its expertise in
patient care, medical education and scientific research, the MFA is leading
the way to modernize the practice of medicine with the adaptation and
implementation of technology to improve the patient experience. For more
information, please visit http://www.gwdocs.com

About American Society for Bariatric Surgery

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is the
largest society for this specialty in the world. Founded in 1983, foremost
American surgeons have formed the society’s leadership and have established an excellent organization with educational and support programs for surgeons and allied health professionals. The purpose of the society is to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery by continued encouragement of its members to: pursue investigations in both the clinic and the laboratory; interchange ideas, information and experience pertaining to bariatric surgery; promote guidelines for ethical patient selection and care; develop educational programs for physicians, paramedical persons, and lay people; and promote outcome studies and quality assurance. For more information about ASMBS, please visit http://www.asmbs.org.

About Surgical Review Corporation

Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an independent not-for-profit
organization dedicated to surgical excellence. SRC’s mission is to promote
the delivery of surgical care with the highest levels of efficacy,
efficiency, and safety possible. For more information about SRC or to
download a Center of Excellence application, please visit
http://www.surgicalreview.org.

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Learn more about the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence program.

St. David’s Medical Center in Austin, Texas was recently named a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. To earn this designation, the Austin bariatric surgery center had to undergo an inspection / review of its surgical procedures, outcomes, patient treatment and other factors.

Full press release follows:

St. David’s Medical Center Bariatric Center Recognized for High-Quality Care with a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence Designation

St. David’s Medical Center announced today that it has been named an American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. The ASBS Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable outcomes in weight loss surgery.

According to a report released in 2007 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of weight loss surgeries has grown from 16,000 procedures performed in 1992 to 170,000 performed in 2005. Faced with clinical evidence that the most experienced and best-run bariatric surgery programs have by far the lowest rates of complications, the ASBS Centers of Excellence program was created to recognize bariatric surgery centers that perform well.

To earn a Center of Excellence designation, St. David’s Medical Center and its co-applicant surgeons and surgeon practice underwent a rigorous application process and site inspection during which all aspects of the program’s surgical processes were closely examined and data on health outcomes was collected. Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence, formulates and establishes the rigorous standards with which St. David’s Medical Center and other Centers of Excellence must comply and thoroughly inspects and evaluates each candidate for designation. Upon review, SRC recommends approval of designation for those physicians and facilities whose practices and outcomes meet the stringent demands set forth in the application process.

“Due to the increasing prevalence of morbid obesity and the potential to greatly improve the health of these individuals, we recognized the need to implement a systematic approach to improve quality and reduce the risks inherent in operating on a person with these serious medical conditions,” said Dr. Tim Faulkenberry, Medical Director, St. David’s Medical Center Bariatric Program. “Our Center of Excellence designation signifies that St. David’s and the surgeons who were awarded the Center of Excellence status in conjunction with the hospital have established a comprehensive program that maintains high standards and achieves top performance.”

In addition to Dr. Faulkenberry, Dr. Mark Sherrod, Dr. Nancy Marquez, Dr. Patrick Dillawn, and Dr. Steven Fass, all of Southwest Bariatric Surgeons, have been designated as Center of Excellence surgeons.

Obesity has become a significant national health issue, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that 66 percent of all U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Morbid obesity is closely correlated with a number of serious conditions that severely undermine the health of overweight patients, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Weight loss surgery can help obese patients improve and even eliminate these conditions.

St. David’s Medical Center opened its Bariatric Center in August, 2002. The Bariatric Center offers a comprehensive program that includes preoperative testing, psychological counseling, nutrition and exercise consultation, and postoperative support groups.

A free seminar about weight loss surgery will be held on Thursday, July 5, 2007, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at St. David’s Medical Center. To register, call 867-LIFE (5433) or e-mail sdmc.bariatrics@stdavids.com.

About St. David’s Medical Center
Since 1924, St. David’s Medical Center has provided quality medical care to the residents of Central Texas. Conveniently located in central Austin at 32nd Street and IH-35, St. David’s Medical Center provides comprehensive care with special expertise in neurology and neurosurgery, cardiac services, bariatric surgery, orthopedics, maternity and newborn services and rehabilitation. The medical center includes St. David’s Hospital (acute care) and St. David’s Rehabilitation Center (physical medicine and rehabilitation). For more information, please visit www.stdavidshospital.com.

About American Society for Bariatric Surgery
The American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) is the largest society for this specialty in the world. Founded in 1983, foremost American surgeons have formed the society’s leadership and have established an excellent organization with educational and support programs for surgeons and allied health professionals. The purpose of the society is to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery by continued encouragement of its members to: pursue investigations in both the clinic and the laboratory; interchange ideas, information and experience pertaining to bariatric surgery; promote guidelines for ethical patient selection and care; develop educational programs for physicians, paramedical persons, and lay people; and promote outcome studies and quality assurance. For more information about ASBS, please visit www.asbs.org.