Bay Area Regional Achieves National Accreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program
Webster , Texas ( January 31 , 2017 ) - Patients seeking surgical treatment for severe obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving treatment at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality of care in the Houston Bay Area .
Rizwan Chaudhry , M . D ., Medical Director of the Metabolic and Weight Loss Institute at Bay Area Regional Medical Center , today announced its bariatric surgical center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program ( MBSAQIP ®), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons ( ACS ) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery ( ASMBS ).
The MBSAQIP Standards ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multidisciplinary program , not just a surgical procedure , which improves patient outcomes and long-term success . The accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for their severely obese patients .
“ This accreditation places Bay Area Regional and the multidisciplinary team at an elite status for bariatric surgery and I ’ m excited to be a part of a team that focuses on patients individually with their long-term success as the goal ,” stated Rizwan Chaudhry , M . D .
Bay Area Regional ’ s commitment to quality care begins with appropriately trained staff and the leadership surgeons who participate in meetings throughout the year to review its outcomes . They seek continuous improvement to enhance the structure , process and outcomes of the center .
To earn the MBSAQIP designation , Bay Area Regional met essential criteria for staffing , training and facility infrastructure and protocols for care , ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity . The center 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 .
“ We are proud to be leading the way in bariatric surgery with Dr . Chaudhry as the only fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon in the Houston Bay Area ,” said Tim Schmidt , CEO of Bay Area Regional . “ Achieving the national accreditation as a Comprehensive Center for bariatric surgery shows our commitment to providing exceptional care and making a difference in people ’ s lives .”
After submitting an application , centers seeking MBSAQIP Accreditation undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon , who reviews the center ' s structure , process , and clinical outcomes data . Centers are awarded a specific designation depending on how many patients it serves annually , the type of procedures it provides , and whether it provides care for patients under age 18 .
In the United States , around 15.5 million people suffer from severe obesity , according to the National Institutes of Health , and the numbers continue 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 , and cardiovascular disease , among other health risks . Metabolic and bariatric surgical procedures have proven to be effective in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to severe obesity .* Working with ASMBS , the ACS expanded this quality program for bariatric surgery centers so that it can assist bariatric patients in identifying those centers that provide optimal surgical care .
Contact : Abbey Lee alee @ BARMC . us
18 MOMENTUM / February 2017