Memorial Regional Hospital Earns Center of Excellence Destination from National Bariatric Society

Wednesday, November 14 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


(Hollywood, Fla.) — Memorial Regional Hospital’s Bariatric Program has earned “Center of Excellence” designation from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). The ASMBS Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery.


To earn a Center of Excellence designation, Memorial Regional Hospital’s Bariatric Service Center underwent a series of site inspections during which all aspects of the program’s surgical processes were closely examined and data on health outcomes were collected. The Hollywood facility and other centers receiving the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation will continue to share information with the Society on clinical pathways, protocols and outcome data.


“This designation is a testament to the quality and care provided by our physicians, Drs. Thomas Bass and Brett Cohen, and clinical staff of the Bariatric Service Center at Memorial Regional Hospital,” said Teddy Speropoulos, LCSW, Director, Bariatric Services, Memorial Regional Hospital. “We believe that the ASMBS Centers of Excellence program will serve as a catalyst, driving strong programs to get even better, and showcasing those which are among the best.”


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.


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 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.

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