| SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center has been approved for Bariatric Surgery Accreditation by the Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This designation means that Mercy has met the essential criteria that ensure it is fully capable of supporting a bariatric surgery care program and that its institutional performance meets the requirements outlined by the ACS BSCN Accreditation Program.
The accreditation program provides confirmation that a bariatric surgery center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest-quality care for its bariatric patients. Accredited bariatric surgery centers provide not only the hospital resources necessary for optimal care of morbidly obese patients, but also the support and resources that are necessary to address the entire spectrum of care and needs of bariatric patients, including the pre-hospital phase, treatment process, and post-operative care.
To attain accreditation, hospitals are required to undergo on-site verification by experienced bariatric surgeons, who review the center’s structure, process, and quality of data using the current ACS Bariatric Surgery Center Network Accreditation Program Manual as a guideline in conducting the survey.
“Obesity affects millions of people across the country, bringing with it increased risks of morbidity and mortality because of the diseases and conditions often associated with it, such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension and cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. John Kasper, bariatric surgeon and surgical director of the Comprehensive Weight Management Program at Mercy Medical Center. “This approval underscores Mercy Medical Center’s recognition of the problem and commitment to the providing the highest quality of care for patients who undergo weight-loss surgery.”
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The ACS has more than 72,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. |
