Patients seeking surgical treatment for morbid obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving treatment at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality of care in the region.

Dr. Sheetal Nijhawan, medical director at The Center for Weight Control at Sharon Regional, today announced that the center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). 

“Sharon Regional Medical Center decided to undergo the year-long certification process because it symbolizes institutional commitment and accountability for safe, high-quality surgical care,” said Dr. Nijhawan. “If an individual is considering weight loss surgery, they want to be assured that the facility offers the best care possible.  The accreditation exemplifies our team’s commitment to the highest level of bariatric surgical treatment and all the support that goes with it.” 

“The Center for Weight Control at Sharon Regional is dedicated to providing a comprehensive program that truly helps patients begin their journeys to healthier lives,” says Joseph Hugar, President and CEO of Sharon Regional Medical Center. “This accreditation is an important distinction that tells our patients seeking information about bariatric surgery that we meet the highest standards for patient safety and quality.” 

The Center for Weight Control at Sharon Regional offers a comprehensive approach to the treatment and care of obese patients, both pre- as well as post-operatively.  Patients are offered a multidisciplinary approach to achieve weight loss goals in order to resolve life threatening diseases associated with obesity, and to develop an active and healthy lifestyle. Sharon Regional Medical Center has the team in place including specialists and  ancillary services to allow for successful implementation of the program. The Center for Weight Control at Sharon Regional’s commitment to quality care begins with appropriately trained staff and the surgeon leaders who participate in meetings throughout the year to review its outcomes. They seek continuous improvement to enhance the structure, process and outcomes of the Center.

To earn the MBSAQIP designation, The Center for Weight Control at Sharon Regional met essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure, and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semi-annual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement. The standards are specified in the MBSAQIP Resources for Optimal Care of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Patient 2016, published by the ACS and ASMBS. For more information about the application and accreditation process, visit https://asmbs.org/about/mbsaqip.

In the United States, around 15.5 million people suffer from severe obesity, according to the National Institutes of Health, 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. Metabolic and bariatric surgical procedures have proven to be effective in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to severe obesity. Working with ASMBS, the ACS expanded this quality program for bariatric surgery centers so that it can assist bariatric patients in identifying those centers that provide optimal surgical care.