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| Houston Northwest Medical Center Recognized for High-quality Care in Bariatric Surgery |
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Houston Northwest Medical Center
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Houston Northwest Medical Center announced today 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 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.
“Houston Northwest Medical Center is proud to be recognized as an ASBMS Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence,” says Philip Leggett, MD, bariatric surgeon on the medical staff at Houston Northwest Medical Center. “The rigorous independent review process required to earn this designation demonstrates the clinical excellence and quality care we provide to our community.”
To earn a Center of Excellence designation, Houston Northwest Medical 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 was collected. Houston Northwest Medical Center and other centers receiving the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation agree to continue to share information on clinical pathways, protocols and outcomes data.
Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence, formulates and establishes the rigorous standards with which Houston Northwest Medical Center and other Centers of Excellence must comply. SRC 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 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. Houston Northwest Medical Center demonstrates this willingness to take the extra step by offering a pre- and post-bariatric surgery exercise program, customizing care for each individual patient, and tracking long-term outcomes.
“We offer a comprehensive program to patients suffering from morbid obesity who want to improve their health,” says Dexter Turnquest, MD, bariatric surgeon on the medical staff at Houston Northwest Medical Center. “Assuring the highest possible standards for surgical expertise and patient care is important to improving quality throughout the industry and building a healthier community.”
The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) was founded in 1983 to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery by continued encouragement of its members. Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to surgical excellence. |
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