PNH Bariatrics Program receives National Accreditation

From Piedmont Press Release

Piedmont Newnan Hospital’s Bariatrics Program has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center 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). 

“Patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving care at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality in Coweta County,” said Roger Eduardo, M.D., bariatric surgeon at Piedmont Newnan.

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.

 “We’re very proud to receive this accreditation and offer high quality care close to home for our patients,” Dr. Eduardo said. “This national accreditation ensures that patients receive a multidisciplinary program, not just a surgical procedure, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success.”

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

“Piedmont Newnan’s commitment to quality care begins with expertly trained staff and the leadership of an experienced bariatric surgeon,” said Robert Miller, Chief Medical Officer at Piedmont Newnan. “The program is tasked with continuous review of surgical data as they continue improving the structure and outcomes expertise necessary to provide safe, efficacious, and high-quality care to all metabolic and bariatric patients.”

As part of the MBSAQIP Accreditation process, 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 the age of 18. Designated comprehensive centers are characterized as having all necessary equipment for complex initial and revisional bariatric surgery procedures on at high volume of patients. Designation as a comprehensive center through MBSAQIP accreditation requires all procedures to be entered in MBSAQIP data registry and an on-site visit every three years.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 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 be effective in the reduction of 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.

 “Our bariatrics team work very closely together to provide each one of our patients with the highest quality of care in our community,” Dr. Eduardo said. “We evaluate each patient on their specific needs and how we can best support their long-term goals and increase their quality of life.”

For patients interested in bariatric surgery, Piedmont offers free online bariatric seminars that provide information on the surgery options available. Additional Piedmont Newnan offers a Bariatrics Support group that meets monthly. For more information on the online seminar or support group, you may reach out to Angela Harrison, RN-BSN, Bariatric Surgery Program Coordinator, at [email protected]. 

For more information about the Piedmont’s bariatrics program, visit piedmont.org/bariatrics.