Bariatric Surgery Certifications, Credentials Explained

Bariatric surgery can be defined as typical weight loss surgery that allows an obese person to control his/her body weight. While many of these procedures are highly successful, others may have a different opinion. The crux is, these advanced procedures are effective, and often help people regain their health and livelihood, but only when the surgeon is skilled and proficient. The choice of a bariatric surgeon as well as the facility is a significant decision that can affect the success of the surgery. Many credentials are imperative when you look for the top surgeon and a bariatric clinic or facility for surgery and after-surgery care.

Obesity Treatment & Bariatric Surgery

The CDC reports that only in America, over 11 million individuals are severely obese and 93 million are deemed to be obese. Obesity correlates to a lot of comorbidities ranging from hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, heart disease, type II diabetes, as well as some cancers.

Bariatric surgery like gastric bypass or gastric sleeve can help patients lose weight safely and rapidly. Moreover, surgery for weight loss also shows a higher rate of remission in people with underlying health complications. An accreditation for bariatric surgery ensures that the surgeon is highly committed to improving your overall health. Hence, the standards assure that surgeons perform high-quality, safe, and risk-free procedures.

Accreditations of Bariatric Surgeon

Industry professionals set certain standards for evaluating doctors. An accreditation for bariatric surgeons encompasses the evaluation report. There are accrediting agencies that assess as well as verify the skills, patient care, safety standards, board certification, and qualifications of a doctor. Accrediting bodies set distinct standards ensuring that bariatric surgeons flourish in the surgery. Hence, they evaluate surgeons as well as their capability to improve patient care and safely perform obesity treatments.

When you choose a bariatric facility or hospital, it is also important to ensure that it is bariatric physician accredited. Accreditation is also given to individual surgeons, facilities, hospitals, and surgical centers.

Why Should You Choose Only An Accredited Surgeon Only?

It is quintessential to find an accredited and board-certified bariatric surgeon. It is also important to verify the accreditations and certifications. Typically, any bariatric surgeon would have accreditation showing their brilliance in bariatric surgery and obesity treatment. It should also prove the dedication of the surgeon to continue providing successful surgery to patients. Moreover, only approved surgeons adopt new procedures and technologies into the practice to ensure continued postoperative success. When you choose an accredited surgeon for a bariatric procedure, you also ensure that the procedure is of a high standard, the patient receives adequate care, the team involves qualified nurses and staff, the rate of success is high, and the surgeon assures you of safe surgery and state-of-the-art facility as well as equipment.

Accreditation Agencies for Bariatric Surgeons

There are only a few accrediting agencies noted for bariatric specialist surgeons. Let us explore the top accreditation agencies that are not only influential but also nationally recognized. This is a comprehensive list of the top bariatric surgery accreditation agencies.

FACS Bariatric Surgeon Accreditation: ACS members are also known as FACS (Fellow of the American College of Surgeons). As a result, bariatric surgeons having the American College of Surgeons accreditation have “FACS” written after their names.

The Fellow of American College of Surgeons is a recognized organization working to improve the life of surgical patients with quality care. They offer an array of accreditations along with a way to ensure that surgeons meet the basic standards of quality care following different designations.

Generally, bariatric surgeons receive FACS accreditation only after the professional standards, as well as ethical principles, are evaluated. These evaluations are necessary to determine the standards of training and education.

Typically, FACS accreditation for bariatric surgeons signifies that the surgeon has established professional knowledge as per standards while adhering to safety precautions for successful bariatric procedures. These initials are the ultimate guarantee of the surgeon’s expertise and knowledge of a certain procedure.

ACS, or American College of Surgeons, is a reputed accreditation agency catering to surgeons. Surgeons who want to become FACS should join after paying the membership fee.

ACS BSCN Bariatric Surgeon Accreditation: The American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network, or ACS BSCN, provides a five-level authorization to bariatric surgery facilities across America and Canada. It is pertinent to mention that the ACS is tied up with some of the leading centers with high volumes that ensure bariatric surgeons are delivering optimum care. In addition, they should be able to provide comprehensive healthcare to patients undergoing bariatric surgery and high-risk candidates. The ACS BSCN accreditation emphasizes the standard benchmarks and beyond. It is an assurance to emphasize sustained support and care with quality improvements for years ahead. The American College of Surgeons also offers a useful web-based podium to help agencies monitor the progress and ensure continuous success. The JCI (Joint Commission International) recognizes the accredited facilities, clinics, hospitals, and surgeons, on its portal.

ASMBS Bariatric Surgeon Accreditation: The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) awards accreditation to some of the most renowned and outstanding bariatric surgeons known for their credentials. The organization provides various certification credentials to bariatric surgeons as well as facilities for the surgery. The ASMBS maintains high standards as well as criteria requirements to attain different credentials provided. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery is the gold standard of accreditation for bariatric surgeons.

Surgeon of Excellence in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (SOEMBS): The Surgeon of Excellence in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, also called SOEMBS, provides an opportunity to surgeons globally to receive their certification individually together with excellent facility designation. There are many reasons for surgeons to seek the designation, which includes the simple fact that surgeons perform surgeries at different facilities. As a result, they want to have their designation showcasing their traits, or their desire to earn the certification, even if the facility or hospital they are associated with may not yet be ready for certification.

SOEMBS has certain requirements. The designation is different from that of the Center of Excellence because the surgeon does not essentially need to have a co-certificate with the facility and he/she should perform at least 100 bariatric surgeries annually. The seven prerequisites for SOEMBS designation include:

1. Appropriate instruments and equipment
2. Proper surgical volume and result
3. Qualified call cover and dedication
4. Bariatric nurses and/or physician extenders
5. Clinical pathways and standardized procedures for operation
6. Continuing follow-up and care
7. Site inspection aimed at one facility or hospital where surgeons work

Bariatric accreditation assures the quality of surgical standards. Accreditation is important to pursue a bariatric procedure. Patients can also ensure that a good accredited surgeon is handling them. Only extensive research can give you the best chance to have successful results with bariatric surgery.

Bariatric Surgery Hospital Accreditations

It is imperative to select an accredited hospital for bariatric surgery, look for the necessary accreditations and certifications they have. It is difficult to get accreditation. It is mandatory to display all the facilities, optimum care, and successful results. Moreover, accredited bariatric hospitals have to follow an ethical code when certified, to provide consistent healthcare.

Accreditation Agencies for Bariatric Hospitals

Accreditation agencies for hospitals maintain qualifications and strict standards to be certified. The agencies also assess facilities and determine the performance quality, safety standards, and patient care. A certified facility ensures that it follows the standards, and also continues to improve healthcare practices.

MBSAQIP Hospital Accreditation: The American College of Surgeons and The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery together created a specialized accreditation program known as the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, also called MBSAQIP. The accreditation maintains national standards for weight loss surgery hospitals nationally. This certification ensures that all patients receive high-quality and safe treatment. It also guarantees that the center is proven to maintain its human resources, practice standards, and physical resources. Results of the accredited facilities are sent to MBSAQIP for further evaluation and research to advance the quality of care.

To make sure that the chosen facility and the surgeon you have chosen are qualified, it is vital to make the decision. Qualifications come with certain designations to make sure that the doctor, as well as the facility, are experienced enough to perform the procedure and they also passed the scrutiny to get an accreditation.

Center of Excellence Bariatric Surgeon and Hospital Accreditation: The ASMBS also provides a recognized facility designation called the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. This designation provides the necessary understanding of the facility to patients as they choose the center. Surgeons are given this designation, hospitals, and freestanding facilities for outpatients, with surgical centers, which the Surgical Review Corporation administers. At present, there are more than 400 centers that received distinction along with 750 surgeons, only in America. It applies to the facility and the surgeon.
Becoming the Center of Excellence also has certain requirements and criteria. To fit the bill, centers must pass the minimum designation before they can be awarded the title to conduct advanced bariatric procedures.