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MidState Medical Center Recognized Nationally for Weight Loss Surgery

October 04, 2022

MidState Medical Center has gained national recognition from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) for high-quality standards and patient safety in bariatric surgery.

What does the accreditation mean for patients?

In order to receive this type of accreditation, hospitals must meet strict, national standards when it comes to safe, high-quality metabolic and bariatric care. This accreditation means MidState Medical Center has the highest standards for patients looking for surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions.

“This designation is so important because it lets the community know that we are a center for excellence when it comes to treating obesity,” said Aziz Benbrahim, MD, medical director of bariatric surgery for MidState Medical Center.

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What is looked at prior to accreditation?

Several forms of criteria are reviewed leading up to the official accreditation – involving staffing, surgeons, training, facility infrastructure and patient care pathways that ensure the hospital can support patients with obesity.

“Every surgery that we do is entered into a data base that goes directly to the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and that shows us how we are doing compared to the rest of the country when it comes to patient outcomes for obesity,” said Benbrahim. “MidState is doing extremely well thanks to our outcomes and standard of care.”

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How common is obesity?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates about 93 million adults in the United States are affected by obesity and that number continues to increase. Obesity, which is considered a disease, increases the risks of morbidity and mortality because of the diseases and conditions that are commonly associated with it, such as type II diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among other health risks.

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