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Linking

Truly excellent patient care is the result of both the individual surgeon and the hospital facility at which the surgery is performed. This fundamental belief is why the OSSI designation is awarded to both the surgeon and facility. The surgical practice is also involved because this is where pre- and postoperative care most frequently occurs. Together, the integrated efforts and resources of the surgeon, facility and practice provide the lasting health benefits for bariatric surgery patients.

SRC describes this collaborative working relationship as being “linked.” Linking is the electronic mechanism within the OSSI application that connects the surgeon, practice and facility to form the bariatric center. It also represents the shared commitment between these entities to provide excellent bariatric surgical care to their patients.

Creating, Maintaining and Changing Links

The linked bariatric center applies for provisional status – and ultimately for the “center of excellence” designation and renewal. In order for OSSI participants to remain in good standing, links must always reflect current, active relationships.

To create links, the surgeon, practice and facility must first share their SRC account numbers with one another. Any party can then initiate a link request through Linking tab on Account Summary page. For the link to become active, each request must be formally accepted by the recipient. All links can be managed (initiated, accepted, declined and/or removed) from the Linking tab, which is located on the Account Summary page.

Linking

  • Surgeons must link to at least one surgical practice and at least one facility that is either applying to the OSSI program or already a program participant. Surgeons may link to more than one facility or practice.
  • Facilities must link to at least one surgeon who has bariatric privileges at their institution and who is either applying to the OSSI program or already a program participant. Facilities can link to more than one surgeon.
  • Surgical practices must link to at least surgeon who is either applying to the OSSI program or already a program participant. Practices cannot link to a facility.

Once linking is complete, each party may proceed with the remaining sections.

Questions

SRC Support can address questions about linking at srcsupport@surgicalreview.org (srcsupport null@null surgicalreview NULL.org) or +1.866.792.3770.