Gateway Recognized For High-Quality Care In Bariatric Surgery
07/07/08
Gateway Medical Center 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 record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery.
To earn a Center of Excellence designation, Gateway underwent a series of site inspections during which all aspects of the program’s surgical processes were closely examined. Further, Gateway 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 of this condition, we recognize the need to implement a systematic approach to improving the quality of our patients’ health,” said Dr. William Steely, a general and bariatric surgeon at Gateway. “At Gateway Medical Center we believe that the ASMBS Centers of Excellence program will serve as a catalyst, driving strong programs to become even better. We strive to improve our program every day, and we urge our peers to join the effort.”
According to a report released in 2007 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of bariatric surgeries has grown exponentially from 16,000 procedures performed in 1992 to 170,000 in 2005. In response to this increase, the ASMBS Centers of Excellence program was created to recognize bariatric surgery centers that perform exceptionally and to help surgeons and hospitals continue to improve the quality and safety of care provided.
The Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence, formulates the rigorous standards with which Gateway and other Centers of Excellence must comply. SRC thoroughly evaluates each candidate for designation, and recommends approval 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 other 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.
About American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery The American Society for Metabolic and 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. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is the largest society for weight-loss surgery in the world. Founded in 1983, American surgeons 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 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 www.surgicalreview.org.