Awards and Recognition
Carteret General Hospital and Carteret Surgical Associates
ARE RECOGNIZED FOR HIGH-QUALITY CARE IN BARIATRIC SURGERY
The ASMBS Designates Carteret General Hospital and Carteret Surgical Associates as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence
Morehead City, North Carolina – Cartert General Hospital along with Carteret Surgical Associates have been named as 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.
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.
To earn a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation, Carolinas Center for Weight Loss Surgery, a division of Carteret General Hospital and Carteret Surgical Associates 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. Carteret General Hospital and Carteret Surgical Associates 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 Carteret General Hospital and Carteret Surgical Association 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. Bariatric surgery, when performed correctly, can help obese patients manage these conditions. By definition, surgeons with ASMBS Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation practice only top quality care, ensuring efficacy of the procedure with each patient to the best of their abilities.
Dr. Michael A. Bell and Dr. John Theodore Johnson, bariatric surgeons demonstrate this willingness to take the extra step by both being certified by the American Board of Surgery and ensuring that patients are educated and engaged in their overall health. Benefits to patient’s health can include a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, and cancer. There is also noted improvement in obesity related diseases such as high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and sleep apnea. Many patients are able to reduce or even discontinue current medications for these conditions.
Dr. Michael Bell says, "We are elated to offer to our community, this single minimally invasive surgery which addresses all of these diseases simultaneously."
In September 2009, Carteret General and Carteret Surgical celebrated the one year anniversary of performing lab-band surgery. Over 9,930 pounds was lost by 220 surgery patients in the first year. Lap-band surgery is a type of bariatric (weight loss) surgery in which an expandable band is placed around the top part of the stomach, in order to limit the amount and rate of eating. The band is placed via a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery so that the patients have an easier time healing than when a large incision is made. This surgery is almost always performed on an outpatient basis and the adjustments are performed in the doctor’s office. Most patients return to normal activity in a week.
Dr. Ted Johnson says, "It is extremely fulfilling to see the great success of our lap band patients. As a team, we are committed to helping those in our community achieve the maximum health and wellness possible."
As a pioneering organization, designating Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence based on top quality care and efficacious outcomes, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, with the help of SRC, is working to align the common interests of patients, surgeons, hospitals and insurers, all of whom suffer when complications develop after surgical care.
For more information, attend a free Lap-Band weight loss surgery educational session on the second Monday of the month at 6pm at the Crystal Coast Civic Center. Dr. Johnson and Dr. Bell both facilitate the informational sessions. For more information, call 252.247.2101 or 808.6674.
About American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 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 ASMBS, go to ASMBS.org.
About Surgical Review Corporation
Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an independent, non-profit organization governed by industry stakeholders and dedicated to advancing the safety, efficacy and efficiency of bariatric and metabolic surgical care worldwide. To accelerate best practices development for the treatment of morbid obesity and its associated conditions, SRC launched center of excellence programs for bariatric surgery and developed the Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database (BOLD). SRC has already designated nearly 650 surgeons as well as more than 350 hospitals and freestanding outpatient facilities, and BOLD is now the world’s largest repository of clinical bariatric surgery patient data. For more information, visit surgicalreview.org.