The bariatric surgery center at Grinnell Regional
Medical Center has been re-accredited as a Level 1 facility by the Bariatric
Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of
Surgeons (ACS). This designation of
excellence means that Grinnell Regional Medical Center and Grinnell Bariatrics
have 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.
GRMC partners with Grinnell Bariatrics, a sub-practice
of Surgical Associates of Grinnell, to offer a comprehensive surgical
weight-loss program. The program was initially accredited in 2006 and has
earned re-accreditation every three years. Though the medical center facility
earns the accreditation based on the number of cases and protocols, the
surgeons David Coster, MD, Nicholas Kuiper, DO; and Mathew Severidt, DO, along
with Stefanie Noun, PA-C, and other staff from Surgical Associates and Grinnell
Regional Medical Center perform the medical assessments, education, surgery,
and follow-up care.
“The BSCN accredits only the best programs in the
nation based on stringent criteria. The accreditation requires an absolute team
commitment by both the hospital and surgical practice. During this review we passed with exceptional
marks. I’m very proud of the entire team of surgeons, program coordinator, nurses,
surgery director, dietitians, exercise therapists, behavioral therapist, and
all the others who play an essential role in the care patients receive at
GRMC,” says Suzanne Cooner, GRMC vice-president of operations. “Patients
receive excellent care in the comfort and environment of a compassionate rural
hospital.”
“An additional aspect of this designation is that
Grinnell is considered by physicians across the state as the place to go for
the most difficult and complex cases, so not only is GRMC a designated Level 1
Center of Excellence, the hospital and our surgeons and management team are the
best of the best of those centers in Iowa,” says Coster, medical director for
bariatric surgery.
Established by the American College of Surgeons in
2005 in an effort to extend established quality improvement practices to all
disciplines of surgical care, the ACS BSCN Accreditation Program provides
confirmation that a bariatric surgery center has demonstrated its commitment to
providing the highest quality care for its bariatric surgery 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, from the pre-hospital
phase through the postoperative care and treatment process.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
has recognized GRMC and allows expanded Medicare coverage of bariatric surgery
for beneficiaries of all ages who have been diagnosed with other health
problems associated with obesity. Medicare
coverage has been limited to procedures performed in facilities certified by
the American College of Surgeons or the American Society for Metabolic &
Bariatric Surgery.
In the United States, more than 11 million people
suffer from severe obesity, 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. At the present
time, weight-loss surgery provides the only effective, lasting relief from
severe obesity. Therefore, the ACS
believes it is of utmost importance to extend its quality initiatives to
accrediting bariatric surgery centers so that it can assist the public in
identifying those facilities that provide optimal surgical care for patients
who undergo this surgical procedure.
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