Emerson-Mass General Weight Loss Program Earns Level 1 Reaccreditation from American College of Surgeons

The Emerson-Mass General Weight Loss Program has been reaccredited as a Level 1 facility under the Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Emerson received its initial Level 1 accreditation in 2010.

This important designation means that Emerson has demonstrated a strong commitment to delivering the highest quality care to its weight loss surgery patients. Accredited bariatric surgery centers provide the resources for optimal care of morbidly obese patients, and the support necessary to address their entire spectrum of needs pre- and postoperatively.

“This Level 1 accreditation represents a significant milestone,” said David Lautz, MD, FACS, medical director of the Emerson-Mass General Weight Loss Program and a member of the ACS BSCN Governing Committee that accredits bariatric surgery centers of excellence nationwide.

“To offer those who have struggled with their weight for their entire life a treatment option that can resolve many of the medical problems, greatly improve their quality of life and let them be treated like anyone else in society is enormously rewarding for me and my staff,” added Dr. Lautz. “Our goal is to provide the highest possible quality bariatric surgical care in a supportive environment.”

ACS BSCN accreditation is awarded following a site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon who reviews the program’s structure, process and data quality. Because optimal surgical care requires documentation using reliable outcomes measures, accredited bariatric surgery centers are required to report their outcome data to the Metabolic Bariatric Surgery Accreditation Quality Improvement Program Data Registry Platform.

In the United States, more than 15 million people suffer from severe obesity which puts them at increased risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and other conditions. The ACS extended its quality initiatives to accrediting bariatric surgery centers in order to assist the public in identifying facilities that provide optimal surgical care because weight loss surgery – also known as bariatric surgery – is proven to be an effective, lasting treatment.

For more information about surgical weight loss, call the Emerson-Mass General Weight Loss Program at (978) 287-3532 or visit www.emersonhospital.org/surgicalweightloss.

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.

Emerson Hospital is a multi-site health system headquartered in Concord, Mass., with additional facilities in Sudbury, Groton and Westford. The 179-bed hospital provides advanced medical services to more than 300,000 individuals in 25 towns. To learn more, visit www.emersonhospital.org.