March 13, 2008

Vol. 2, Issue 1
www.surgicalreview.org

Data From the Application Database Provides Insight Into Bariatric Surgery

Hospitals and surgeons interested in applying for ASMBS BSCOE designation enter their program data into an on-line application. This one time entry system is utilized to evaluate whether or not programs have met the ASMBS BSCOE quality criteria. While, the database was not developed to address research questions or conduct extensive data analysis, a full overview of the data will be presented at upcoming SAGES and ASMBS meetings with future publication in peer-reviewed journals. A snapshot of the data reveals some noteworthy information.

Out of the approximately 100,000 bariatric surgeries captured within the database from August 2005 – May 2007, some 78 percent are paid for through private insurance. An additional 14 percent of bariatric surgery cases are paid for by the government through Medicare, Medicaid and military benefits. While 100,000 cases is a small number compared to the total number of patients eligible for bariatric surgery (which estimates range from 1 million to 30 million people), it cannot be determined from the data collected the number of patients interested in surgery that did not receive surgery due to lack of insurance coverage. “As we continue our efforts toward quality and outcomes measurement, insurance companies will learn what their customers (i.e. employer groups) already know: bariatric surgery should be offered as a standard benefit for the morbidly obese patient,” states SRC CEO Gary M. Pratt.

SRC also discovered some interesting information regarding ASMBS BSCOE performance measures. The average ASMBS BSCOE hospital performs 312 bariatric surgeries per year, far exceeding the requirement of 125 per year. In addition, these hospitals demonstrated a 90-day mortality rate of 0.36 percent, the same mortality rate associated with hip replacement procedures. “The excellent work by our 326 Centers and 571 surgeons is unparalleled. Such results on a patient population that is very sick make SRC’s job easier in seeking bariatric surgery as a core benefit” according to Pratt.

“The data also revealed that the actual mortality rate of bariatric surgery is much lower than the rate perceived by the public,” said Gail Hughes, Vice President of Research at SRC. “However, it is critical that ASMBS BSCOE programs enter their patient information into the Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database™ (BOLD™) to enable SRC’s Research Division to begin stratifying patient risk factors based upon surgery type. The data will help guide the industry on best care paths to reduce risk.”

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