| 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 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, Vista
Medical Center
Hospital 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. Vista Medical
Center Hospital
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 its inherent risks, there are opportunities available to greatly
improve the health of this patient population.
We at Vista
Medical Center
Hospital, through our
highly experienced medical staff and skilled nurses, strive to implement a
systematic approach to improving quality care,” said Farida
Moeen, CEO of Vista Medical Center Hospital. “We believe that the ASBS Centers of
Excellence program will serve as a catalyst, driving strong programs to get
even better. We have done our part, and we urge our peers to join the effort.”
Surgical Review
Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence,
formulates and
establishes the rigorous standards with which Vista Medical
Center Hospital
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 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.
Vista Medical Center
Hospital Center of
Excellence
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 Vista Medical
Center Hospital,
experienced bariatric surgeons and specialty trained nurses demonstrate
willingness to take the extra step to meet the psychological needs of the
patients, by having very thorough preoperative counseling, after care follow-up
and a monthly support group meeting.
As a pioneering
organization designating Centers of Excellence based on top quality care and
efficient 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. Vista Surgical Hospital of Baton Rouge,
another Dynacq subsidiary located in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, has already been designated as a Center of Excellence.
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, the society’s leadership has been formed by foremost
American surgeons who 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
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.
Contact: Tonya Johnson,
RN, CNO, Bariatric Director, Vista
Medical Center
Hospital at (713)
378-3000, or Philip
Chan, CFO, Dynacq Healthcare, Inc. at (713) 378-2000.
__________________________
Source:
Dynacq Healthcare, Inc. |
