South Florida hospital meets all criteria as a MBSAQIP-Accredited Center, according to national quality standards established to deliver safe, high quality metabolic and bariatric patient care

WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- Patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving care at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality in South Florida.

Good Samaritan Medical Center’s bariatric surgery program 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.

Good Samaritan Medical Center’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 to ensure the highest quality care is provided to all metabolic and bariatric patients.

To earn MBSAQIP Accreditation, Good Samaritan Medical Center 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.

“People considering bariatric surgery place their trust in us to provide the highest standard of care and support on their journey to improved health and well-being. Receiving MBSAQIP Accreditation not only validates our efforts but also instills confidence in our patients that they are receiving top-tier care from a facility that meets rigorous national standards,” said Sheri Montgomery, Good Samaritan Medical Center’s CEO.

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. Centers that earn accreditation are awarded a specific designation level, depending on how many patients it serves annually, critical care capabilities, the types of procedures provided, and whether it provides care to patients under the age of 18.

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.

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*Buchwald H, Avidor Y, Braunwald E, et al. Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2004;292(14):1724-1737. DOI:10.1001/jama.292.14.1724.