Manchester–area center meets all criteria as a Comprehensive Center according to national quality standards
The clear choice for patients in New Hampshire seeking surgical treatment for severe obesity and its related conditions has again been nationally accredited as a Comprehensive Center. This means the Obesity Treatment Center at CMC meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality of care.
Doctor Robert Catania, Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Director at Catholic Medical Center, made the announcement today. The accreditation as a Comprehensive Center comes from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
“As the busiest bariatric surgery center in New Hampshire, the staff, physicians, and surgeons at CMC are committed to providing the best possible care for our patients. Certification by MBSAQIP is one of the ways that we ensure that we maintain the highest standards and achieve the best possible results for individuals suffering from obesity” Catania said.
The MBSAQIP Standards ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multidisciplinary program, not just a surgical procedure, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. The accredited Center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for their severely obese patients.
Catholic Medical Center’s commitment to quality care begins with appropriately trained staff and leadership surgeons who participate in meetings throughout the year to review outcomes. They seek continuous improvement to enhance the structure, process and outcomes of the Center.
To earn the MBSAQIP designation, CMC met essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement. The standards are specified in the MBSAQIP Resources for Optimal Care of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Patient 2014, published by the ACS and ASMBS.
After submitting an application, centers seeking MBSAQIP Accreditation undergo 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 how many patients it serves annually, the type of procedures it provides, and whether it provides care for patients under age 18.
The National Institutes of Health estimates 15.5 million people in the United States suffer from severe obesity and that number continues to rise. Obesity increases the risks of morbidity and mortality because of the diseases and conditions that are commonly associated with it, such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, among other health risks. Metabolic and bariatric surgical procedures have proven to be effective in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to severe obesity.* Working with ASMBS, the ACS expanded this quality program for bariatric surgery centers so that it can assist bariatric patients in identifying those centers that provide optimal surgical care. The Comprehensive Center accreditation puts the Obesity Treatment Center at CMC among them.
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*Buchwald H, Avidor Y, Braunwald E, et al. Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2004;292(14):1724-1737. DOI:10.1001/jama.292.14.1724.
About Catholic Medical Center
Catholic Medical Center (“CMC”) is one of New Hampshire’s largest medical centers, with a commitment to delivering the highest quality and most advanced healthcare to patients. CMC is the home of the New England Heart Institute, which has been rated by Truven Health Analytics™ as one of Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals in the Nation for 2015. CMC is also one of the first hospitals in New Hampshire to establish a joint venture with independent medical staff members when it became a partner in the freestanding Bedford Ambulatory Surgical Center. With primary care practices that care for the very young to the young at heart and our dedication to community outreach programs, CMC is helping to foster a healthier community, everyday. CatholicMedicalCenter.org
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient. Its achievements have placed it at the forefront of American surgery and have made the College an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 80,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.
About the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, founded in 1983, was formed to advance the art and science of metabolic and bariatric surgery by continually improving the quality and safety of care and treatment of people with obesity and related diseases through educational and support programs for surgeons and integrated health professionals.