Mercy Health Partners Bariatric Program Receives Center of Excellence Distinction

January 15, 2007 – The bariatric program at Mercy Health Partners (MHP) 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 patient 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 on complications, the ASBC 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, MHP underwent a series of site inspections during which all aspects of the program’s surgical processes were closely examined and data on patient health outcomes was collected.  MHP and other centers receiving the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation agree to continue to share information on clinical pathways, protocols and outcomes data.

“The designation of an ASBS Center of Excellence is a huge achievement for this program,” says, Dr. Brian Gluck, Medical Director of Bariatric Services at MHP. “Many patients search for a bariatric program based on credentials and achievements, being a Center of Excellence confirms that top-notch bariatric care is available along the lakeshore.”

At MHP, Dr. Gluck and his team demonstrate this willingness to take the extra step by offering a comprehensive weight management program, which includes both medical and surgical weight management. To date, over 900 patients have been through the surgical weight management program at MHP. 

This distinction as a Center of Excellence is in good company.  In 2006, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Care Network and Priority Health each named MHP’s Bariatric Program as a Center of Excellence.

Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence, formulates and establishes the rigorous standards with which MHP 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. 

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.

MHP is the specialty referral hospital along the lakeshore. MHP’s services include heart and vascular, emergency services, cancer care, orthopedic and spine surgery, urology, bariatric services, a primary care network, nephrology, ENT, laboratory, palliative care and rehabilitation.  MHP specializes in a variety of areas through specialized institutes and centers where physicians and staff work collaboratively to provide excellent care to patients.  Some of these centers include the Heart and Vascular Institute, the Centers for Women’s Health, the Center for Weight Management, the Imaging Center of Excellence and a state of the art Emergency Center.