Newly Accredited Center for Weight Management

 

The Knox Community Hospital Center for Weight Management is accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program®.

Patients in the greater Knox County area who seek surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving care from a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality.

Aevan McLaughlin, M.D., Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Director at the KCH Center for Weight Management, is proud to announce that the weight management program is now accredited as an MBSAQIP Quality Program Center. Accreditation is provided by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®) – a joint Quality Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

According to national quality standards established to deliver safe, high-quality metabolic and bariatric patient care, Mount Vernon, OH –Knox Community Hospital’s Center for Weight Management meets all criteria as an MBSAQIP-Accredited Center. – Aevan McLaughlin, MD

It is such an honor to receive this distinction. I’m really proud of our team for all the hard work to provide the best care for our patients. I hope that this inspires the public in knowing that they can receive excellent treatment for the disease of obesity at KCH. 

The MBSAQIP Standards, Optimal Resources for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, ensure that metabolic and bariatric patients receive multidisciplinary medical care, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. MBSAQIP-Accredited centers offer preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for patients with obesity.

The KCH Center for Weight Management’s commitment to quality care begins with expertly trained staff and the leadership of an experienced bariatric surgeon. The program is tasked with continuous review of surgical data as they continue improving the structure and outcomes expertise necessary to provide safe, productive, and high-quality care to all metabolic and bariatric patients.

To earn MBSAQIP Accreditation, the KCH Center for Weight Management met essential criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure, and patient care pathways, ensuring its ability to support patients with obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its surgical outcomes and identifies opportunities for quality improvement. The MBSAQIP Standards, Optimal Resources for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, are published by the ACS and the ASMBS.

“Knox Community Hospital’s vision statement begins with, “To be recognized for excellence…”. Formal accreditation of the metabolic and bariatric services provided locally by the KCH Team aligns with this vision. We are very pleased to have such accreditation, which assures our patients they are receiving excellent care, which is strictly required by a nationally recognized, quality program jointly developed and overseen by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.” – Bruce D. White, KCH CEO

After applying for MBSAQIP Accreditation, centers undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon who reviews the center’s structure, processes, and clinical outcomes data. Centers that earn accreditation are awarded a specific designation level, depending on how many patients it serves annually, critical care capabilities, the types of procedures provided, and whether it provides care to patients under 18.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 93 million adults in the United States are affected by obesity, and that number continues to increase. The disease of 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, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among other health risks. Metabolic and bariatric surgery has proven to reduce comorbid conditions related to obesity.* Working together, the ACS and the ASMBS have developed accreditation standards for metabolic and bariatric surgery to assist patients with obesity in identifying centers that provide optimal patient care.

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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.

 

Information courtesy of Knox Community Hospital