Chicago Bariatric Surgeons Stress Importance of Facility Accreditation Despite Recent Medicare Decision

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Oct 31, 2013) - The surgical team at Suburban Surgical Care Specialists/Kane Center (SSCS) is committed to offering the highest quality of bariatric surgery possible. This means staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in the field and meeting strict safety standards. Recently, the legal safety guidelines have been lowered, as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has ruled Medicare patients do not need to go to accredited facilities for bariatric surgery anymore. Despite their strong opposition to this decision, surgeons at SSCS, as well as many other medical organizations, are continuing to stress the importance of accreditation.

After conducting a set of studies involving accredited and unaccredited surgical centers, the CMS concluded there was not a significant difference in safety and quality of care. As a result, they have removed the requirement for morbidly obese Medicare patients to get bariatric surgery at a certified facility. Instead, the CMS relies on surgical centers to hold high standards for themselves and use devices cleared and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This decision has prompted a reaction from numerous organizations, including the American College of Surgeons, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Society of Bariatric Physicians and SSCS.

Although Medicare patients now have the freedom to go to any facility for surgery, the surgeons at SSCS are emphasizing the importance of accreditation in the decision. Without this standard, the surgeons believe quality and safety are at more of a risk. They say that, since Medicare patients tend to have more health conditions than the average bariatric surgery patient, they are more prone to complications. As a result, the surgeons stress the importance of undergoing procedures such as LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding surgery, gastric bypass surgery, laparoscopic sleeve surgery, and other surgical weight loss treatments at a facility that meets the high standards the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) has established.

According to the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, most research performed on bariatric accreditation programs has revealed the safety standards set by the MBSAQIP save lives and dramatically increase the quality of patient care. For this reason, SSCS and a number of other professional groups are continuing to promote and follow the regulations. The SSCS encourages patients considering bariatric surgery to thoroughly research surgeons and facilities before committing to a practice, as safety must be a priority in their decision.

About Suburban Surgical Care Specialists/Kane Center

The bariatric surgeons at SSCS, Dr. James M. Kane, Jr., MD, Dr. Peter R. Rantis, Jr., MD, Dr. Paul J. Guske, MD and Dr. Jonathan W. Wallace, MD, are all certified by the American Board of Surgery and offer an accredited program for care. The physicians are fellows of the American College of Surgeons and members of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. The practice has offered bariatric surgery for 35 years, and its doctors undergo continuous training and education on the latest advancements in the field, such as laparoscopic surgery. The surgeons are available for interview upon request.

The practice can be reached online at suburbansurgicalcare.com or facebook.com/pages/Suburban-Surgical-Care-Specialists/112793022140308

To view the original source of the press release, click here: http://www.suburbansurgicalcare.com/news-room/chicago-bariatric-surgeons-stress-importance-of-facility-accreditation-despite-recent-medicare-decision/