UK HealthCare Weight Loss Surgery Clinic receives MBSAQIP accreditation
UK HealthCare recently received accreditation under 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).
MBSAQIP is a comprehensive, nationwide surgical quality program aimed at ensuring the safe and effective performance of metabolic and bariatric surgery. Surgical outcomes focus on weight loss and the treatment of obesity-related diseases, like diabetes, sleep apnea and others. Research shows accredited centers experience lower complications, and better outcomes than that of non-accredited facilities.
Dr. Joshua Steiner, director of the Weight Loss Surgery Clinic, and Mary Beth Keaton, nurse manager of UK Weight Loss Surgery, announced the accreditation at a UK HealthCare Systems Operations update in mid-September.
“Accreditation from the ACS and ASMBS is further evidence that the weight loss surgery program meets the highest standards of quality and safety in its OR procedures and long-term outcomes,” said Steiner. “Our surgical team is outstanding and deserves full credit for UK achieving this recognition.”
For patients like Maria Harmon, years of dieting and yo-yo weight loss led her to look into possible surgical interventions. At the UK Weight Loss Surgery Clinic, she learned that surgery was just one of many tools she could use to take control of her weight and her health.
“What I loved most about it was the collaborative effort of the physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, dietitians, office staff and the education they provided before and even after the surgery,” Harmon said. “They also provide lifelong access to the office including the dietitian. They taught me the surgery wasn’t a magical fix, but a tool. That alone has helped me continue to stay healthy as time goes on and keep the weight off. You go into it super focused on your weight, but as you lose the weight you realize how much more important your health and the non-scale victories are."
Three years after her surgery, Harmon has maintained her 140-pound weight loss and embarked on a new, active life.
“Now I love to hike. I can play with my kids,” she said. “I don’t have to worry if I can fit places. I owe it all to UK Weight Loss Surgery Program!”
The weight loss surgery program at UK HealthCare was established in 2021 and has already transformed many lives through surgery, counseling and education.
“This designation is a testament to the dedication of our entire team, who have worked tirelessly to achieve this recognition,” said Dr. William Inabnet III, chair of the Department of Surgery and surgeon-in-chief for UK HealthCare. “In just three short years, we’ve built a program that meets the highest standards of safety and quality. It’s an honor to see our efforts validated in such a meaningful way.”
As an MBSAQIP-accredited hospital, UK HealthCare also becomes an ACS Surgical Quality Partner. Being a Surgical Quality Partner signifies a hospital’s dedication to consistently improving procedures and approaches, while maintaining a critical eye on process at every step. The Surgical Quality Partner designation lets patients know UK HealthCare is dedicated to quality and relentless self-improvement and has been verified or accredited by the ACS. Patients can trust that the care they receive at Surgical Quality Partner hospitals adheres to the most rigorous standards in surgical quality.
“ACS Quality programs are grounded in more than a century of experience and participation is an important measure of a hospital’s surgical quality. As an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, UK HealthCare has shown a commitment providing the best possible patient care, evaluating that care in a rigorous fashion, and dedicating themselves to continuous self-improvement,” said Dr. Patricia Turner, executive director & chief executive officer of ACS.
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The college is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The college has more than 88,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. “FACS” designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
About the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
The ASMBS is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the nation. 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 obesity, while maintaining a steady exchange of experiences and ideas that may lead to improved outcomes for morbidly obese patients. For more information, visit www.asmbs.org.
