MDNews - Central New York

ROME HEALTH'S WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY PROGRAM ACHIEVES ACCREDITATION FROM THE METABOLIC AND BARIATRIC SURGERY ACCREDITATION AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM® 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 Central New York region. Rome Health's bariatric surgery center has been accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint Quality Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), announced Medical Director Keneth N. Hall II, MD, FACS, FASMBS. The MBSAQIP Standards, Optimal Resources for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, ensure that metabolic and bariatric patients receive multidisciplinary medical care, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. MBSAQIP-Accredited centers offer preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for patients with obesity. "The accreditation reflects our team's shared commitment to quality and patient safety," Dr. Hall says. "In our final report, the surveyor noted that the dedication to patient care and patient management is readily apparent and everyone involved with the bariatric program has a sense of ownership of the patients under their care, extending across the entire spectrum of care." Rome Health's commitment to quality care begins with expertly trained staff and the leadership of an experienced bariatric surgeon. The program team is tasked with continuous review of surgical data as they continue improving the structure and expertise necessary to provide safe, efficacious and high-quality care to all metabolic and bariatric patients. To earn MBSAQIP Accreditation, Rome Health met essential criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure and patient care pathways, ensuring its ability to support patients with obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its surgical outcomes and identifying opportunities for quality improvement. The MBSAQIP Standards, Optimal Resources for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, are published by the ACS and the ASMBS. "Dr. Hall has been a beacon of leadership and is well prepared to grow our program with the support of an interdisciplinary team that is committed to delivering the best care here," says AnneMarie Czyz, EdD., RN, NEA-BC, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rome Health. "The accrediting agency highlighted Dr. Hall's leadership and the team's overarching commitment to safety as strengths of the program." After applying for MBSAQIP Accreditation, centers undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon who reviews the center's structure, processes and clinical outcomes data. Centers that earn accreditation are awarded a specific designation level, depending on how many patients it serves annually, critical care capabilities, the types of procedures provided, and whether it provides care to patients under the age of 18. During its first year of operation, Rome Health earned accreditation as a Low Acuity Center and will pursue accreditation as a Comprehensive Center in the first quarter of 2022 with the rapid growth in the program, according to the bariatric center's coordinator Stephanie Miller, RN. The 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 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and cancer, among other health risks. Metabolic and bariatric surgery has proven to be effective in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to obesity.* Working together, the ACS and the ASMBS have developed accreditation standards for metabolic and bariatric surgery to assist patients with obesity in identifying centers that provide optimal patient care. Dr. Hall is accepting new patients at Rome Health Surgical Specialists, which is located at 267 Avery Lane, Suite 300, Rome, on the campus of the Griffiss Business & Technology Park. For an appointment, please call 315-356-7770. INNOVATIVE "SHOCKWAVE" TECHNOLOGY GIVES NEW HOPE TO CROUSE HEALTH PATIENTS WITH HEART DISEASE Crouse Health is now offering patients with severely calcified coronary artery disease a new, minimally invasive treatment option that uses sonic pressure to safely break up calcium blockages that can reduce blood flow to the heart. The shockwave technology, also known as intravascular lithotripsy or IVL, enables physicians to fracture the calcium deposits using sonic pressure waves so the artery can be safely expanded and blood flow restored with the placement of a stent and without unnecessary complications. Of the approximately 1 million patients who undergo stent procedures each year, 30% have problematic calcium that increases their risk for serious complications. This is because the bone-like calcium deposits make the artery rigid and more difficult or impossible to reopen with conventional treatments alone. Such treatments include balloons deployed by a catheter and inflated under high pressure to break up the calcium. In contrast, Crouse Medical Practice interventional cardiologists Joseph Battaglia, MD; Anil George, MD; and John Ulahannan, MD, use shockwave technology to insert a catheter into the artery and inflate a balloon using low pressure. Shockwave IVL delivers sonic pressure waves that gently break up the calcium deposits in the artery wall. After the calcifications are broken up, the cardiologist expands the balloon to prepare the artery for stenting to improve blood flow. Approved by the FDA for coronary use in 2021, Shockwave IVL historically has been used to break up kidney stones through lithotripsy, Dr. Battaglia says. This treatment has proven to be extremely safe and effective in disrupting rigid calcium deposits in coronary arteries. "We are grateful to the Mirons for their generous and continued support of our cardiac program, which allows us to provide patients with the latest and safest innovations to treat heart disease and improve lives," Dr. Battaglia says. Funding for the new technology was made possible by a donation from Diane and Bob Miron, longtime Crouse Health supporters and major donors. n 2 2❱❱❱❱❱ M E D I C A l B R I E F S

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