Covenant High Plains Surgery Center reaccredited as West Texas' only ambulatory surgery Center of Excellence for bariatric weight loss surgery

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Mar 19, 2024, 08:00 ET

Lubbock–area surgery center remains one of only two dozen in the country to meet all criteria to achieve accreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program®, demonstrating the highest standards for patient safety and quality

LUBBOCK, Texas, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Covenant High Plains Surgery Center announced today that its ambulatory surgery center (ASC) has been reaccredited 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). MBSAQIP Accreditation is normally the domain of hospital programs, and fewer than two dozen surgery centers in the nation have merited this designation.

Dr. Adam Purtell, Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Director at Covenant High Plains Surgery Center (CHPSC), made the announcement, noting that West Texas and Eastern New Mexico patients seeking outpatient, surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions will continue to have a high-quality, cost-effective choice for receiving care at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality.

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 surgery centers offer preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for patients with obesity.

"We are excited about the opportunity to continue to offer Lubbock and the West Texas community an excellent Bariatric surgery experience in the only MBSAQIP-accredited ambulatory surgery center in the region," said Dr. Purtell. "Our fellowship-trained Bariatric surgeons provide tremendous quality and outcomes at affordable cost. The accreditation also allows many insured patients with bariatric benefits the opportunity to change their lives as well, with long term weight loss and improvement of medical conditions."

CHPSC's commitment to quality care begins with its expertly trained staff and the leadership of an experienced bariatric surgeon. 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.

To earn MBSAQIP Accreditation, CHPSC 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.

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.

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. 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.

"We are proud to provide this level of care in an ambulatory surgery setting to patients in West Texas," stated CHPSC Administrator Alfonso del Granado, a bariatric patient himself who supports his organization's dedication to excellence. "Too many patients are not able to afford the treatment options available at large hospital programs or have to compromise by seeking care at non-accredited centers. With this reaccreditation, we are demonstrating our commitment to offer patients the highest standards of care."

About Covenant High Plains Surgery Center, LLC
Covenant High Plains Surgery Center (CHPSC) operates two freestanding, independent multispecialty ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in Lubbock, Texas with joint-venture partners Covenant Health System and National Cardiovascular Partners (NCP). Fully accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, CHPSC runs 14 operating and procedure rooms with more than a hundred physicians on staff. CHPSC features robotic general surgery, urology, and total joint replacement programs, as well as advanced surgical treatment options in bariatrics, ENT, general surgery, GI, gynecology, interventional pain, neuro & spine surgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, maxillofacial, plastic & reconstructive surgery, podiatry, and urology to patients from Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. For more information, visit www.CHPSurgery.com.

About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the quality of care for surgical patients. 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 82,000 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 (ASMBS) is the largest organization for metabolic and bariatric surgeons in the world, with more than 4,200 members. It is a not-for-profit organization that works to advance the science of metabolic and bariatric surgery. The ASMBS is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public about metabolic and bariatric surgery, including the associated risks and benefits, as a treatment option for obesity.

*Buchwald H, Avidor Y, Braunwald E, et al. Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2004;292(14):1724-1737. DOI:10.1001/jama.292.14.1724.

SOURCE Covenant High Plains Surgery Center