NUMC DESIGNATED AS A BARIATRIC SURGERY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE ® BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR METABOLIC AND BARIATRIC SURGERY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2011
PRESS CONTACT:
Shelley Lotenberg
shelley@numc.edu
516-572-6055
NUMC DESIGNATED AS A BARIATRIC SURGERY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE ® BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR METABOLIC AND BARIATRIC SURGERY
DESIGNATION GRANTED TO NUMC BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR METABOLIC AND BARIATRIC SURGERY AND BY THE SURGICAL REVIEW CORPORATION AFTER HAVING MET RIGOROUS CRITERIA FOR SAFE BARIATRIC SURIGICAL PROCEDURES
OPPORTUNITY FOR NUMC’S VULNERABLE POPULATIONS TO RECEIVE COMPREHENSIVE WEIGHT MANAGEMENT OPTIONS WITH ADVANCED BARIATRIC PROCEDURES AND FOR NUMC TO BUILD CONSIDERABLE MEDICAID MANAGED CARE MARKET SHARE
EAST MEADOW, NY…Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the NuHealth System, proudly announced that the Nassau University Medical Center had been designated by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and by the Surgical Review Corporation as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence ®. This designation is bestowed upon bariatric surgery centers that have met rigorous criteria for the performance of safe bariatric surgical procedures and have demonstrated short and long term results after bariatric surgery.
“This is a big win for the NuHealth family—for our bariatric surgery center and for our patients. Earning the ASMBS Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation signifies our ability to consistently deliver the safest, highest-quality care to bariatric surgery patients,” said Gianelli. “The ASMBS BSCOE program fosters quality improvement in bariatric surgery, and participation has focused our team on exceeding clinical benchmarks and guidelines. But most importantly, our commitment to excellence improves the health and well-being of our patients.”
In a letter dated August 30, 2011, Michael T. Hartney, general counsel and vice president for legal affairs for the Surgical Review Corporation, stated: “I am pleased to inform you on behalf of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and Surgical Review Corporation that the Nassau University Medical Center has been approved as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence ® designee.”
Steven J. Walerstein, MD, FACP, executive vice president for medical affairs and medical director congratulated the surgery department staff: “The designation of NUMC as a Bariatric Center of Excellence ® is great news for our patients. In selected situations, this has been shown to be the most effective way of managing obesity and its major complications, including diabetes. We can now offer the state-of-the-art therapy for a common community condition.”
Founded in 1983, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery is the largest professional society for obesity and related diseases. The purpose is to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery through the interchange of ideas and information as well as the promotion of outcome studies and quality assurance. Bariatric surgery benefits patients who are struggling with morbid obesity through surgical procedures which have been proven to be effective in promoting weight reduction and reduce premature mortality. The Nassau University Medical Center offers a comprehensive array of services, including nutritional and psychological counseling, diagnosis and treatment of co-morbid conditions and surgical treatment for morbid obesity.
Glenn Faust, MD, FACS, chair of the department of surgery added: “Congratulations to the entire bariatric team on this achievement! This prestigious designation helps identify where patients can expect to receive safer and more effective surgical treatment. Our team had to pass a full review of the facilities, interviews with surgeons, staff and hospital leadership, as well as a detailed review of medical charts. The bariatric surgeons, who must perform a certain number of cases each year, must be board certified, demonstrate significant expertise in bariatric surgery and participate in ongoing continuing medical education. Studies show that centers with higher volumes achieve better results with fewer mortalities, complications, re-operations and revisions.”
Gianelli went on to thank all those whose diligence had been instrumental in obtaining the designation, synonymous with superior bariatric surgery care: “This was truly a team effort for which we are truly grateful. Drs. Walerstein, Faust, Angus, Sasthakonar and Ward need to be recognized as they all worked to ensure that we met our surgical requirements and were fully prepared for the site visit. Nelka Ellis, Leroy Francis, Shelley Lotenberg and Bert Sansariq provided the necessary administrative and marketing support, with our residents and the nursing department leadership along with Janice Pateres, RN, director of nursing, and Kathy Keller, RN, nurse manager, helping to manage the patients on the floor.”
About NuHealth
NuHealth is a Long Island health care organization delivering essential medical care and disease and lifestyle management to everyone at every stage of life. Also known as Nassau Health Care Corporation, NuHealth is a public benefit corporation managing the operations of Nassau Medical Center, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care and a network of Family Health Centers that bring primary and specialty care out into the community. By emphasizing wellness, cultural sensitivity and collaborative efforts with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, NuHealth is working to make good care more affordable and easier to access.
For more information about NuHealth or its Centers of Care, visit www.nuhealth.net.
About the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)
The ASMBS is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the world. It is a nonprofit organization that works to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery and is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public about bariatric surgery as an option for the treatment of morbid obesity, as well as the associated risks and benefits. It encourages its members to investigate and discover new advances in bariatric surgery, while maintaining a steady exchange of experiences and ideas that may lead to improved surgical outcomes for morbidly obese patients.
For more information on the ASMBS, visit www.asmbs.org.
About Surgical Review Corporation
Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an independent, nonprofit organization governed by industry stakeholders and dedicated to advancing the safety, efficacy and efficiency of surgical care worldwide. Initially focused on bariatric and metabolic surgery, SRC has emerged as a leading administrator of center of excellence programs for surgical specialties. The organization manages programs on behalf of top medical societies around the world, setting a global standard for excellence. To support center of excellence program compliance and quality improvement in patient
care, SRC developed BOLD, a longitudinal outcomes database. BOLD is now the world’s largest repository of clinical patient data for the bariatric surgery specialty.
For more information, visit www.surgicalreview.org.