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Heritage Valley, Sewickley Achieves Bariatric Center of Excellence Designation

Posted on: Thursday, 20 July 2006, 15:02 CDT

SEWICKLEY, Pa., July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sewickley campus of Heritage Valley Health System and the Bariatric program of surgeons Geoff Wilcox, M.D., and Mike Felix, M.D., have received the "Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence" designation from the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS).

Heritage Valley's Sewickley campus is the third hospital in Western Pennsylvania and the seventh hospital in the state to achieve this designation. Dr. Wilcox is the Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery and Dr. Felix is co-director of the program. Their bariatric program, Hope Bariatrics, provides the bariatric surgery infrastructure at the Sewickley campus of Heritage Valley Health System.

The ASBS Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery and a long term post-surgery follow up program.

The Bariatric Surgery Program at the Sewickley campus of Heritage Valley was granted the designation after thorough documentation review of outcomes data and a site visit in which all aspects of the surgical program were closely evaluated.

The review assesses the Bariatric Program's ability to help patients cope with the significant emotional and lifestyle changes through a multi-tiered approach that includes nutritional, psychological, and educational support. The surgeons' skills and the quality of the hospital in which those operations are performed are also assessed.

"This designation validates the excellent level of care we provide to our patients, from the pre-operative information seminar, to office visits, surgery itself, the hospital stay and the extensive post-operative follow-up process," said Dr. Wilcox.

According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, as many as two out of every three Americans are obese and 23 million Americans are morbidly obese, with a body mass index higher than 40.

Studies have shown that the only effective treatment for morbid obesity and its complications is surgery. Unfortunately, physician-supervised dieting and exercise are often not enough once a person reaches morbid obesity.

Because of the obesity epidemic, more and more people are turning to bariatric surgery. 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.

"Gastric bypass is a life-altering operation," said Daniel Brooks, M.D., chief medical officer for Heritage Valley Health System. "At Heritage Valley, our surgeons have built a comprehensive bariatric surgery program and have performed hundreds bariatric procedures over several years. This expertise helps to mitigate many of the risks associated with such a complex operation, and offers the patient the best opportunity for a successful clinical outcome. The Center of Excellence designation formally recognizes the experience and expertise of the physicians and staff involved in caring for our bariatric patients."

In February, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ruled that Medicare would only cover bariatric surgery performed at designated Center of Excellence. Similarly, HealthAmerica launched a Center of Excellence program. Heritage Valley was among the first in the Western Pennsylvania region to receive this designation.

Heritage Valley Health System provides comprehensive health care for residents of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties, in Pennsylvania; eastern Ohio; and the panhandle of West Virginia. In partnership with more than 500 physicians, Heritage Valley offers a broad range of medical, surgical and diagnostic services at its two hospitals, Heritage Valley, Sewickley and Heritage Valley, Beaver; in physician offices; and community satellite facilities. Additional information about Heritage Valley Health System is available online at http://www.heritagevalley.org/.

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.

Heritage Valley Health System

CONTACT: Scott Monit, Public Relations of Heritage Valley Health System,+1-724-773-2046

Web site: http://www.heritagevalley.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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