Southern New Hampshire Weight Management Achieves MBSAQIP Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire Weight Management provides patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and related conditions with a high-quality choice for receiving care. It is now a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality in the greater Nashua area. The accreditation affords access to minimally invasive surgical treatment to patients across a wider range of insurance carriers.
 
Robert Catania, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Director of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, announced today that its bariatric surgery center earned accreditation as a Comprehensive Center 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).
 
Dr. Catania says, “This accreditation acknowledges our commitment to providing the high-quality service our patients deserve, with their safety as our top priority at all times. Southern New Hampshire Weight Management is pleased to offer expert care to all patients who are overweight or experiencing obesity. Our services include medical and surgical weight management, nutritional guidance and education, peer support groups, exercise programs in conjunction with the YMCA of Greater Nashua, and we will soon be offering mental health counseling as well.”
Commitment to quality care at Southern New Hampshire Weight Management begins with expertly trained staff and the leadership of an experienced bariatric surgeon. To earn MBSAQIP Accreditation, Southern New Hampshire Weight Management 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.
 
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. 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.
 
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.