Bayhealth Bariatric Program Achieves Accreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program®

Patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving care at Bayhealth. As a nationally accredited program, Bayhealth that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality in the Central and Southern Delaware area.

Theodoros Katsichtis, MD, FACS, DABOM bariatric surgeon and medical director of Bariatric Surgery at Bayhealth, announced that its bariatric surgery center 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).

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.

“The team at Bayhealth does an exceptional job. Our Bariatric Program nurse coordinator and registered dietitian, perioperative nurses and techs always provide state-of-the-art care. This comprehensive accreditation demonstrates Bayhealth’s commitment to high-quality care and to practice excellence”, said Dr. Katsichtis.

Bayhealth’s commitment to quality care begins with expertly trained staff and the leadership of an experienced bariatric surgeon. The program is tasked with continuous review of surgical data as they continue improving the structure and outcomes expertise necessary to provide safe, effective, and high-quality care to all metabolic and bariatric patients.

To earn MBSAQIP Accreditation, the Bayhealth Bariatric Program met essential criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure and patient care pathways, ensuring its ability to support patients with obesity. The center 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.

After applying for MBSAQIP Accreditation, centers undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon who reviews the center's structure, processes, and clinical outcomes data.

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.

Bayhealth’s Bariatric Program offers individualized attention from highly trained specialists who help patients navigate through the entire process—from initial consultations to lifestyle changes and surgery, to support groups. It also offers an online informational seminar for potential patients, which cover the basics of weight loss surgery options and what to expect from the program.

Visit Bayhealth.org/Weightloss or call 302-340-5454 to learn more about Bayhealth’s Bariatric Program.