Saint Mary's Bariatric Surgery Service Designated as Bariaric Surgery Center of Excellence

July, 2010 - Bariatric Surgery Service at Saint Mary’s Health Care announced that it has been named an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence®. The ASMBS BSCOE designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery.

Led by Medical Director Paul Kemmeter, MD, FACS, and Program Coordinator Cathy Mooney, BSN, RN, CBN, the Bariatric Surgery Service is part of the Weight Management Program at Saint Mary’s Health Care. Kemmeter is one of approximately 50 surgeons nationwide experienced in the laparoscopic Duodenal Switch and has performed more than 1,600 bariatric surgeries.

To earn a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation , the Bariatric Surgery Service at Saint Mary’s 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 Bariatric Surgery Service at Saint Mary’s and other centers receiving the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation agree to continue to share information on clinical pathways, protocols and outcomes data.

Program Medical Director Paul Kemmeter, MD, FACS, says: “It is with this same determination that Saint Mary’s Bariatric Surgery Service will strive to provide patients with unmatched outcomes and satisfaction through continuous quality improvement and feedback. We recognize that this designation is a milestone, but also realize that there is much more work to be done to reach our goals."

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 Bariatric Surgery 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.

"We have worked as a team to build a quality Bariatric Surgery program, and we have focused on ensuring excellent outcomes, safety and patient satisfaction,” said Program Coordinator Cathy Mooney. “Achieving designation as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence showcases the hard work, commitment and dedication that have gone into this program." Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence, formulates and establishes the rigorous standards with which Bariatric Surgery Service at Saint Mary’s and other Bariatric Surgery 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 US 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.