Merit Health Wesley earns continued accreditation

10/1/2021

Hattiesburg, MS - Merit Health Wesley has earned continued accreditation for the bariatric surgery program from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). The accreditation ensures the bariatric surgery program meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality.

The MBSAQIP, a joint Quality Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), ensures that metabolic and bariatric patients receive multidisciplinary medical care, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success.

“We want our patients to receive the most support possible throughout the process, from preparing for surgery to reaching their goals post-operatively,” said Wesley Girod, M.D., Medical Director of Merit Health Wesley’s Bariatric Surgery Program. “We believe that support is a key factor to success in surgical weight loss, and we prioritize that within our program.”

Merit Health Wesley first achieved accreditation from MBSAQIP in 2017, after undergoing an extensive application process and site visit, which is conducted by an experienced bariatric surgeon who reviews the center's structure, processes, and clinical outcomes data. MBSAQIP requires organizations to repeat the accreditation process every three years, ensuring that their high standards continue to be met in each facility .The program is tasked with continuous review of surgical data as they continue improving the structure and outcomes expertise necessary to provide safe, efficacious, and high-quality care to all metabolic and bariatric patients.

“We are very proud of our bariatric surgery team and their commitment to receiving continued accreditation with the MBSAQIP,” said Matthew Banks, Chief Executive Officer of Merit Health Wesley. “We want to offer the best program we can to our patients, and meeting the standards of this accreditation is a significant part of that.”

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. 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 II diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among other health risks. Merit Health Wesley offers the Gastric Sleeve surgical procedure, which has proven to be effective in the reduction of diseases related to obesity.

Visit LoseWeightatWesley.com or call (601) 261-5767 to learn more about weight loss surgery.

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