U.S. BARIATRIC IS RECOGNIZED FOR HIGH-QUALITY CARE IN BARIATRIC SURGERY

The ASBS Designates U.S. Bariatric and Holy Cross Hospital as a Center of Excellence

 


Fort Lauderdale, Florida – U.S. Bariatric 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 bariatric surgery.

According to a study released in July 2005 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of U.S. bariatric surgeries more than quadrupled between 1998 and 2002 – from 13,386 to 71,733. 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 and to help surgeons and hospitals continue to improve the quality and safety of care provided.

To earn a Center of Excellence designation, U.S. Bariatric 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. U.S. Bariatric and other centers receiving the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation agree to continue to share information on clinical pathways, protocols and outcomes data.

Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence, formulates and establishes the rigorous standards with which [Doctor/Center] 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 ASBS.

Obesity has become a significant national health issue, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that 64 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 ASBS Center of Excellence designations practice only top-quality care, ensuring efficacy of the procedure with each patient to the best of their abilities. At U.S. Bariatric, bariatric surgeons demonstrate this willingness to take the extra step by

  1. offering a complete multidisciplinary program,
  2. providing extensive preoperative education, and
  3. by partnering with the patient with a lifetime of postoperative support.

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 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.

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 www.surgicalreview.org.