News Releases
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2006
Freestanding Outpatient Bariatric Surgery Centers® of Excellence Provisional Status Application Released
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – On Tuesday, December 12, Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) released the Freestanding Outpatient Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence (FBSCOE) provisional status application, the first step in obtaining the FBSCOE designation given by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
The FBSCOE program was launched due to the increasing utilization of laparoscopic adjustable banding and the performance of these procedures in an outpatient setting.
The number of patients requesting laparoscopic surgery is on the rise on account of several factors including a shorter recovery time and reversibility of the procedure. Laparoscopic surgery now accounts for 25% of all gastric procedures done in the United States.
“When SRC was formed, our mission was and still is to provide the utmost level of care for bariatric surgery patients,” said Gary Pratt, Chief Executive Officer, SRC. “Surgical Review Corporation is excited to release the on-line application for the FBSCOE program. By recognizing freestanding centers, we are promoting excellence in healthcare in a variety of settings.”
A freestanding surgical center is defined as a standalone building separate from a hospital where a patient has bariatric surgery but stays in the facility for less than 24 hours.
Requirements for the FBSCOE program follow the rigorous requirements of the ASBS Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence program with the exception that freestanding programs must be very selective in the patients they select and they must be located within one mile from a hospital. More information on criteria utilized to evaluate both hospital based and freestanding outpatient bariatric surgery centers can be found at www.surgicalreview.org.
About American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is the largest society for this specialty in the world. Founded in 1983, foremost American surgeons have formed the society’s leadership and have established an excellent organization with educational and support programs for surgeons and allied health professionals. The purpose of the society is to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery by continued encouragement of its members to: pursue investigations in both the clinic and the laboratory; interchange ideas, information and experience pertaining to bariatric surgery; promote guidelines for ethical patient selection and care; develop educational programs for physicians, paramedical persons, and lay people; and promote outcome studies and quality assurance. For more information about ASBS, please visit www.asbs.org.
About Surgical Review Corporation
Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to surgical excellence. Surgical Review Corporation’s mission is to promote the delivery of surgical care with the highest levels of efficacy, efficiency, and safety possible. For more information about SRC or to download a Center of Excellence application, please visitwww.surgicalreview.org.
Contact
Allie Krizmanich
919.239.8188