THE SURGICAL SPECIALISTS OF LOUISIANA IS RECOGNIZED FOR HIGH- QUALITY CARE IN BARIATRIC SURGERY

The ASMBS Designates The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana as a
Center of Excellence

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana recently announced that it 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 track record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery.

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 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 ASMBS 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, The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana 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. The Surgical Specialists and other centers receiving the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation agree to continue to share information on clinical pathways, protocols and outcomes data.

“We have worked hard to become one of the top bariatric programs in the country. By developing a lifelong approach to the care of our patients, we totally transform their health and quality of life through a minimally invasive surgical approach,” said Dr. Tom Lavin, founder of The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana. “After helping over 2,500 patients in the last seven years, we are now able to take care of many patients on an outpatient basis.”

Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence, formulates and establishes the rigorous standards with which The Surgical Specialists 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 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 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 ASMBS Center of Excellence designations practice only top-quality care, ensuring efficacy of the procedure with each patient to the best of their abilities. The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana demonstrate this willingness to take the extra step by offering patients a comprehensive program including in-depth education both pre and post-operatively, tracking and documenting patient outcomes, and providing follow-up and support as their patients commit to a significant change in lifestyle.

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.