Under the leadership of Dr. Sarah Samreen, assistant professor and director of bariatric surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch, the UTMB Galveston Campus is now home to a Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program Center of Excellence, as approved by the American College of Surgeons.
This designation means that patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving care at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality in the greater Galveston area.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 93 million adults in the United States are affected by obesity and that number continues to increase. The disease of obesity increases the risks of morbidity and mortality because of the diseases and conditions that are commonly associated with it, such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among other health risks.
Metabolic and bariatric surgery has proven to be the most effective treatment in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to obesity. Working together, the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery have developed accreditation standards for metabolic and bariatric surgery to assist patients with obesity in identifying centers that provide optimal patient care.
To receive the accreditation, the UTMB bariatrics team underwent independent, voluntary and rigorous peer evaluation in accordance with nationally recognized bariatric surgical standards.
The reviewers remarked positively on Samreen’s leadership of the program, the cohesiveness of the UTMB multidisciplinary team, and on the program’s strong personal relationship with each of their patients. This accreditation ensures that bariatric patients receive multidisciplinary medical care, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success.
UTMB offers pre-operative and post-operative care designed specifically for patients with obesity. The commitment to quality care begins with expertly trained staff and the leadership of an experienced bariatric surgeon. In addition, the facility infrastructure and patient care pathways are optimized, ensuring UTMB’s ability to provide safe, efficacious and high-quality care to all metabolic and bariatric patients.
“The successful outcome of this accreditation process took lots of teamwork and dedication across the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery program team and the institution as a whole,” said Samreen. “Many thanks to all who were involved in the accreditation process, and for continuing to provide excellent care to our patients.”