Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Designated as Center of Excellence

Alta Bates Summit 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 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.

“Over the last decade, obesity has emerged as a major medical, social and economic problem in far too many communities. The mission of our highly qualified professionals is to work together to offer innovative surgical options as well as a proactive approach to support our patients dealing with the challenges of excessive weight,” said George Kazantsev, MD, Program Director of the Alta Bates Summit Bariatric Care Program. “We recognize the need to utilize a systematic approach to quality improvement and to share best practices with our colleagues. At Alta Bates Summit, we believe that the ASBS Centers of Excellence program will serve as catalyst to drive strong programs to get even better.”

To earn a Center of Excellence designation, Alta Bates Summit 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. As a result of this information, Alta Bates Summit as well as other centers receiving the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation, have agreed to continue sharing 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 Alta Bates Summit and other Centers of Excellence must comply. SRC 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 of 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 related to 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 and practice only top-quality care, ensuring efficacy of the procedure with each patient to the best of their abilities. At Alta Bates Summit bariatric surgeons and their comprehensive team demonstrate their willingness to take the extra step. Program Coordinator Helen Johnson, RN, has the unique experience of undergoing bariatric surgery. “We are a cohesive group of highly qualified professionals working together to offer innovative surgical options as well as a proactive approach to support patients dealing with the challenges of excessive weight. We are committed to compassion and excellence in patient care,” Johnson said.


About Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center is a private, not-for-profit, multi-campus tertiary care medical center with over 1,000 beds, 5,000 employees and 1,000 active physicians. The medical center’s areas of excellence include Emergency Services, Women and Infants (including a Level III Newborn ICU), Cardiovascular, Orthopedics, Oncology, Mental Health, Rehabilitation, and Medical Surgical. Other specialty services include a bone marrow transplant program, chemical dependency treatment services, high risk obstetrics, neurosciences, and diagnostic imaging.


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.

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