The Nash Surgical Weight Loss Center was recently named an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. This designation means the center met extensive, detailed requirements in the areas of  patient safety, clinical excellence, and staff education, and the center demonstrated a successful track record of successful patient outcomes.

There is an increasing prevalence of morbid obesity in the United States, and Eastern North Carolina is no exception. In fact, North Carolina has the 12th highest rate of adult obesity in the nation and the 14th highest rate of overweight young people between the ages of 10 and 17," said Amy Winham, program director of the Nash Surgical Weight Loss Center.  "It is so rewarding for our bariatric team to experience the weight loss journey with our patients.  We are able to witness transformations into healthier lifestyles accompanied by smiles and brand new outlooks on life.  We are fortunate to have so many dedicated health care professionals who are willing to go the extra mile for our patients as we help take them through the entire continuum of care."

Morbid obesity decreases a person's life expectancy by an average of 7 years.  By attaining a healthy weight, patients may be able to avoid losing these valuable years of their life. Of course, bariatric surgery offers other benefits as well. Patients are now able to keep up with their children, eliminate diseases such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and are able to do tasks such as tying shoes or riding in an airplane seat---tasks many people take for granted.

To earn a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation, the Nash Surgical Weight Loss Center underwent a series of site inspections during which all aspects of the program's surgical processes were closely examined and data on health outcomes was collected.

 According to a report released in 2007 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of bariatric surgeries has grown from 16,000 procedures performed in 1992 to 170,000 performed in 2005. Faced with clinical evidence that the most experienced and best-run bariatric surgery programs have by far the lowest rates of complications, the ASMBS Bariatric Surgery 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.

"Due to the increasing prevalence of morbid obesity and the inherent risks and the opportunities available to greatly improve the health of this patient population, we recognize the need to implement a systematic approach to improving quality," said Larry Chewning, president and CEO of Nash Health Care. "We are very excited about this designation because it symbolizes our dedication to quality, and it will help our strong program get even better."

To see the dramatic difference that bariatric surgery can make toward improving health and saving lives, go to http://www.nashhealthcare.com/ to hear our patients' inspirational stories. For more information on the Nash Surgical Weight Loss Center, call 252-962-6503.

About Nash Health Care

Nash Health Care is a county-owned, not-for-profit health care system comprised of four distinct hospitals on a single campus: Nash General Hospital, Nash Day Hospital, the Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation Center, and Coastal Plain Hospital.

About The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 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.

 About Surgical Review Corporation

Established in 2003, Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an independent, non-profit organization governed by industry stakeholders and dedicated to advancing the safety, efficacy and efficiency of bariatric and metabolic surgical care worldwide. To accelerate best practices development for the treatment of morbid obesity and its associated conditions, SRC launched center of excellence programs for bariatric surgery and developed the Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database (BOLD). SRC has already designated nearly 650 surgeons as well as more than 350 hospitals and freestanding outpatient facilities, and BOLD is now the world's largest repository of clinical bariatric surgery patient data.