The Center for Bariatric Surgery receives MBSAQIP accreditation for safe, high-quality bariatric patient care

The Center for Bariatric Surgery has earned certification for adult and teen weight loss surgery under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) which sets standards for safe, high-quality bariatric patient care.

“At The Center for Bariatric Surgery, our team of specialists offers patients personalized treatment both at the start of their weight loss journey and for years afterward – providing continued one-on-one follow-up care that helps patients make the crucial lifestyle changes needed to maintain a healthy weight and good nutrition,” said Siva Vithiananthan, M.D, chief of minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at The Center for Bariatric Surgery, a program of Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals.

A joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, MBSAQIP’s standards ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multi-disciplinary program not just a surgical procedure, improving patient outcomes and long-term success. The accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for severely obese patients.

In the U.S., around 15.5 million people suffer from severe obesity, according to The National Institutes of Health, and the numbers continue to increase. A life-long, progressive, life-threatening condition marked by excess body fat, obesity can significantly reduce life expectancy. When weight increases to an extreme level (morbid obesity), it is a chronic condition with numerous medical, psychological, social and economic consequences. Morbid obesity is diagnosed when a person is over 200 percent of his or her ideal weight, more than 100 pounds overweight, or with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40, or greater than 35 with weight-related health problems – and related health problems include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, sleep apnea, arthritis, depression, stress incontinence, menstrual irregularity, and some types of cancer.

Bariatric medicine specializes in treating obesity and bariatric surgery promotes weight loss as weight loss can greatly reduce the risks of obesity, improve overall health, and enhance quality of life. The Center for Bariatric Surgery performed 1000 bariatric surgeries from June, 2012 through August, 2015. As part of the MBSAQIP accreditation, Siva Vithiananthan, M.D., and G. Dean Roye, M.D., who specializes in laparoscopic surgical procedures at the Center for Bariatric Surgery, have both been recognized as MBSAQIP verified bariatric surgeons.

“Safe, patient-centered care is a critical component in working to address our obesity problem,” added Vithiananthan. “At The Center for Bariatric Surgery, we are dedicated to providing a multi-disciplinary approach to weight loss surgery for patients young and old to meet each of their unique needs and goals. Our patients also benefit from the expertise behind The Miriam Hospital’s behavioral medicine weight programs which offer ongoing help as individuals work to regain control of their weight and health.”

Patients at The Center for Bariatric Surgery benefit from a full complement of services that includes medical weight management as well as bariatric surgery, and can expect coordinated, personalized care by a surgical team with 40 years of cumulative experience. Services and specialized features include:

• Coordinated preoperative and long-term nutritional and behavioral modification programs.

• A full complement of bariatric surgeries, including sleeve gatrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric band, and revisional surgeries.

• Team of bariatric surgeons available 24/7 for care of all bariatric patients.

• State-of-the-art laparoscopic and minimally invasive technologies.

• Free, multi-disciplinary, professionally coordinated patient support groups.

• Highly trained operating room personnel and certified nursing staff.

To earn the MBSAQIP designation, The Center for Bariatric Surgery met essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity. The application process includes an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon who reviews the center’s structure, process, and clinical outcomes data. Centers are awarded a specific designation depending on the number of patients served annually, the type of procedures provided, and whether it provides care for patients under age 18. As part of the MBSAQIP designation, The Center for Bariatric Surgery participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of processes and outcomes and meetings throughout the year to review outcomes.

“It is an honor to receive this certification for meeting national standards set for bariatric patient safety and quality of care,” said Arthur Sampson, president of The Miriam Hospital. “It is acknowledgement that continuous quality improvement and patient safety is paramount to every member of our team – from our physicians and nurse practitioners to our nutritionists and physical therapists.”

Lifespan