JAMAICA HILLS—The bariatric surgery program at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, located at 1153 Centre St. in Jamaica Plain, has been accredited as a Level 1 facility under the Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The accreditation demonstrates the surgery center’s commitment to delivering the highest quality care for its bariatric, or weight-loss, surgery patients.
To earn the accreditation, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital met the essential criteria that ensure its ability to support a bariatric surgical care program and the institutional performance requirements outlined by the BSCN Accreditation Standards. Accredited bariatric surgery centers provide both the hospital resources necessary for optimal care of morbidly obese patients and the support and resources necessary to address the entire spectrum of care and needs of bariatric patients, both pre- and postoperatively.
“The accreditation from the American College of Surgeons is an indicator of our dedication to providing the most comprehensive care in bariatric surgery available today,” said Dr. Michael Gustafson, chief operating officer at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. “This accreditation confirms that our bariatric surgery program is among the best in the country.”
Bariatric Surgery Centers that are accredited under ACS BSCN program standards are part of the Metabolic Bariatric Surgery Accreditation Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) administered by the American College of Surgeons. In March 2012, the ACS and American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) announced plans to combine their respective national bariatric surgery accreditation programs into a single unified program to achieve one national accreditation standard for bariatric surgery centers. That transition is now in process.
ACS BSCN accreditation is awarded in categories, each with its own criteria that must be met. Facilities undergo a site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon, who reviews the facilities’ structure, process, and data quality. Because optimal surgical care requires documentation using reliable outcomes measures, accredited bariatric surgery centers are required to report their outcomes data to the MBSAQIP Data Registry Platform.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recognized Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital 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 accredited by the American College of Surgeons or the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
In the United States, more than 15 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 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, among other health risks.
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 quality of care for the surgical patient. Its achievements have placed it at the forefront of American surgery and have made the College an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 79,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.
Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital is a 150-bed, nonprofit, community teaching hospital. Founded in 1900, it offers comprehensive medical, surgical and psychiatric care as well as complete emergency, ambulatory and diagnostic services. For more information, visit brighamandwomensfaulkner.org
From press materials