Montclair, NJ, [January 2019] – Hackensack Meridian Health Mountainside Medical Center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

The MBSAQIP Standards, ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multidisciplinary program, not just a surgical procedure, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. The accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for their severely obese patients.

“After consultation, each patient is required to go through comprehensive evaluation process to ensure that they are physically and emotionally ready for surgery.  This evaluation includes nutrition counseling and clearance from a psychologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist and gastroenterologist,” says Dr. Karl Strom, Medical Director for the Center of Advanced Bariatric Surgery at Mountainside Medical Center. “Post-surgery, patients continue to see a dietitian for nutrition counseling and we encourage them to attend our monthly support groups. All these steps help to keep the risk for complications low, and ultimately improves patient outcomes.”

Mountainside Medical Center’s commitment to quality care begins with appropriately trained staff and the leadership of surgeons who participate in meetings throughout the year to review its outcomes.  They seek continuous improvement to enhance the structure, process and outcomes of the center.

To earn the MBSAQIP designation, Mountainside Medical Center met criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement.

        “The center is dedicated to providing a comprehensive program that truly helps patients begin their journeys to happier, healthier lives,” says John Fromhold, CEO, Mountainside Medical Center. “This accreditation is an important distinction that tells our patients seeking information about bariatric surgery that we meet the highest standards for patient safety and quality.”

After submitting an application, centers seeking MBSAQIP Accreditation undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon, who reviews the center's structure, process, and clinical outcomes data. Centers are awarded a specific designation depending on how many patients it serves annually, and the type of procedures it provides. Working with ASMBS, the ACS expanded this quality program for bariatric surgery centers so that it can assist bariatric patients in identifying those centers that provide optimal surgical care.

About Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center

Mountainside Medical Center has been serving Montclair and its surrounding New Jersey communities since 1891. The hospital provides patients immediate access to innovative and effective treatment alternatives at specialized centers within the hospital that focus on imaging, women’s health, cancer care, surgery, obesity, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Mountainside Medical Center is designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the NJ State Department of Health and Senior Services and is one of only a few community hospitals licensed by the State to perform emergency cardiac angioplasty. To learn more about Mountainside Medical Center visit www.mountainsidehosp.com.

About the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient. Its achievements have placed it at the forefront of American surgery and have made the College an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 80,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.

About the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, founded in 1983, was formed to advance the art and science of metabolic and bariatric surgery by continually improving the quality and safety of care and treatment of people with obesity and related diseases through educational and support programs for surgeons and integrated health professionals.