St. Francis Hospital’s weight loss surgery
program earns accreditation
American College of Surgeons recognizes quality
of Federal Way hospital’s bariatric program
St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way, a leading provider of
weight loss surgery in the state, announced today that its
acclaimed bariatric program for the severely obese has been
accredited by the American College of Surgeons.
Accreditation by the prestigious American College of Surgeons’
Bariatric Surgery Center Network is further confirmation of St.
Francis’ commitment to providing the highest quality care for
patients who undergo weight loss surgery.
“Excellence in the surgical and post-surgical care of our
patients is the hallmark of our bariatric program,” said Syd
Bersante, chief operating officer at St. Francis Hospital.
More than 2,400 weight loss surgeries have been performed at the
hospital in the last seven years.
Accreditation by the American College of Surgeons’ Bariatric
Surgery Center Network means that St. Francis provides the
hospital-based resources necessary for optimal care of morbidly
obese patients, as well as the resources necessary to address
the entire spectrum of care and needs of bariatric patients,
from the pre-hospital phase through the post-operative care and
treatment process. As part of the accreditation process, the
hospital’s bariatric program underwent an extensive review that
included an on-site visit by an independent surgeon who examined
the program’s structure, processes, and its quality of data and
performance measures.
“We strive every day to make sure that our patients receive the
best care and experience the best outcomes,” said Janelle
Morissette, a registered nurse and manager of the St. Francis
Center for Weight Management.
This acknowledgement of the surgery program’s quality is the
latest in a series of special recognitions: In 2005, St. Francis
Hospital was designated as a Bariatric Surgery Center of
Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic Bariatric
Surgery; earlier this year, the hospital was declared a Blue
Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery by Premera Blue Cross
and Regence BlueShield. The St. Francis program is the only one
in Washington currently recognized for excellence by both the
Society for Bariatric Surgery and the College of Surgeons.
An estimated 11 million people in the U.S. suffer from severe
obesity, which increases their risks for Type 2 diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and other
life-threatening health problems. Weight loss surgery provides
the only effective, lasting relief from severe obesity.
Founded in 1913, the American College of Surgeons is a
scientific and educational association of surgeons whose goal is
to raise the standards for surgical education and practice, and
improve the care of surgical patients. It has more than 69,000
members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the
world. Additional information is online at
www.facs.org
St. Francis Hospital, which is licensed for 110 beds, is a part
of the Franciscan Health System, the pre-eminent health care
provider in the South Puget Sound region.
