The ASBS Designates AMC Bariatric Program as Center of Excellence

    SARANAC LAKE - Adirondack Medical Center announced today that it has been named an American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. The ASBS Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery.
    Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, is a procedure through which the stomach is made smaller, making the patient feel full after eating small portions that bypass a segment of the small intestine, which means not all of the food eaten will be absorbed into the body. This is one option a patient can exercise to lose excess weight and have long-term weight loss maintenance.
    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 ASBS 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.
    To earn a Center of Excellence designation, Adirondack Medical Center underwent a lengthy evaluation process, including an on-site inspection during which all aspects of the program's surgical processes were closely examined, and data on health outcomes was collected. AMC and other centers receiving the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation agree to continue to share information on clinical pathways, protocols and outcomes data.
     "The Center of Excellence approval is a testimony of the positive surgical outcome here at AMC," said Dr. Edward Hixson, Medical Director of the AMC Bariatric Program, "and it is the result of a strong commitment from every level of operation at the hospital."
In 1999, Dr. Hixson and Dr. C. David Merkel seized upon an opportunity to establish a bariatric program at Adirondack Medical Center. The procedure was first performed in 2000 on four patients at AMC. This year, it is expected that the procedure will be performed for the 700th time. Also playing a key role in the program is Dr. Michael Hill, who is board certified in thoracic and general surgery. The success of these procedures has been largely dependent upon a uniform quality of care, positive results driven by national standards, and working for several years to satisfy the stringent requirements for proper bariatric care.
     "The emphasis has always been to improve health, not appearance or cosmetics," Dr. Hixson noted, "from the beginning that has been our goal."
Dr. Hixson pointed out that one of the most significant benefits is in the treatment for those patients with diabetes.
     It was also stressed by Dr. Hixson that this achievement was the result of a hospital-wide cooperative effort. The bariatric program relies upon a wide array of support services at AMC, which include nutritional consultations, physical therapy consultations, and support groups.  In addition, the bariatric program works closely with the diagnostic services such as laboratory, medical imaging, and cardio pulmonary to evaluate patients throughout the process.
      Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence, formulates and establishes the rigorous standards with which AMC and other Centers of Excellence must comply. SRC thoroughly inspects and evaluates each candidate, physicians and facilities whose practices and outcomes meet the stringent demands set forth by SRC for ASBS for approval as a Center of Excellence.
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 ASBS Center of Excellence designations practice only top-quality care, ensuring efficacy of the procedure with each patient to the best of their abilities. At AMC, bariatric surgeons demonstrate this willingness to take the extra step by insisting on quality care, performance improvement, and ongoing patient education.
     As a pioneering organization, designating Centers of Excellence based on top quality care and efficacious outcomes, the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, with the help of SRC, is working to align the common interests of patients, surgeons, hospitals and insurers, all of who suffer when complications develop after surgical care.

About American Society for Bariatric Surgery
    The American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) is the largest society for this specialty in the world. Founded in 1983, foremost American surgeons have formed the society's leadership and have established an excellent organization with educational and support programs for surgeons and allied health professionals. The purpose of the society is to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery by continued encouragement of its members to: pursue investigations in both the clinic and the
laboratory; interchange ideas, information and experience pertaining to bariatric surgery; promote guidelines for ethical patient selection and care; develop educational programs for physicians, paramedical persons, and lay people; and promote outcome studies and quality assurance. For more information about ASBS, please visit www.asbs.org.

About Surgical Review Corporation
     Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to surgical excellence. SRC's mission is to promote the delivery of surgical care with the highest levels of efficacy, efficiency, and safety possible. For more information about SRC or to download a Center of Excellence application, please visit www.surgicalreview.org.

NOTE TO MEDIA:
For a complete listing of the Bariatric Centers of Excellence in New York State, go to www.surgicalreview.org., and click on the Locate a Center of Excellence map on the homepage.

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	AMC is accredited by the Joint Commission. Click here to view the Joint Commission Public Notice.
	AMC is accredited by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program.
	Adirondack Medical Center's Bariatric Program and Dr. Michael Hill have been designated as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.