July 16, 2019

Mercy Medical Center achieves national accreditation for metabolic and bariatric surgery

REGIONAL
Staff report

Dr. Viriato Fiallo, director of metabolic and bariatric surgery (center), and Dr. Aleksandra Ogrodnik (second from left) are pictured with members of the bariatric surgery team at Mercy Medical Center. (IObserve photo/courtesy of Mercy Medical Center)

SPRINGFIELD – Dr. Viriato Manuel Fiallo, director of metabolic and bariatric surgery at Mercy Medical Center, has announced its bariatric surgical center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

The MBSAQIP Standards, outlined in Resources for Optimal Care of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Patient 2016, ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multidisciplinary program, not just a surgical procedure, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. The accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for their severely obese patients.

“Mercy Medical Center’s commitment to quality care begins with appropriately trained staff and the leadership surgeons who participate in meetings throughout the year to review the bariatric surgical center’s outcomes. They seek continuous improvement to enhance the structure, process and outcomes of the center,” said Dr. Fiallo.

To earn the MBSAQIP designation, Mercy Medical Center met essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure, and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semi-annual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement. The standards are specified in the MBSAQIP Resources for Optimal Care of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Patient 2016, published by the ACS and ASMBS.

After submitting an application, centers seeking MBSAQIP Accreditation undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon, who reviews the center’s structure, process, and clinical outcomes data. Centers are awarded a specific designation depending on how many patients it serves annually, the type of procedures it provides, and whether it provides care for patients under age 18.

“Patients seeking surgical treatment for severe obesity and its related conditions can choose Mercy Medical Center with confidence knowing that our nationally accredited program meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality of care,” said Dr. Robert Roose, chief medical officer of Mercy Medical Center. “This accreditation is a positive reflection on Mercy’s entire team of healthcare professionals, underscoring the high level of commitment, safety, and quality care they provide to our patients every day.”

In the United States, around 15.5 million people suffer from severe obesity, according to the National Institutes of Health, and the numbers continue to increase. 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, and cardiovascular disease, among other health risks. Metabolic and bariatric surgical procedures have proven to be effective in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to severe obesity.* Working with ASMBS, the ACS expanded this quality program for bariatric surgery centers so that it can assist bariatric patients in identifying those centers that provide optimal surgical care.

*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.