Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Named Bariatric Center of Excellence
December 14, 2006
Designation Recognizes Hospital for
High Quality Bariatric Surgery
Fairfax, VA -- The American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) has named
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. The ASBS
Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a
demonstrated track record for high quality bariatric surgery.
The ASBS
Center of Excellence program was created to recognize bariatric surgery centers
that perform well and to help surgeons and hospitals continue to improve the
quality and safety of care provided. According to a study released in July 2005
by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of U.S. bariatric
surgeries more than quadrupled between 1998 and 2002 – from 13,386 to 71,733.
Also, clinical evidence shows that the most experienced and best-run bariatric
surgery programs have by far the lowest rates of complications.
“It is an
honor to be recognized by your peers and industry experts as a leading provider
of bariatric procedures,” says Amir Moazzez, MD, bariatric surgeon, Inova Fair
Oaks Hospital. “We’re hopeful that our designation as a Center of Excellence
will help us shed more light on the importance of treating the devastating
disease of obesity.”
"Obesity in our area is reaching epidemic
proportions and paralleling that of the world,” says Osvaldo Anez, MD, medical
director, bariatrics, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. “We are proud to be recognized
as having a quality program available for those patients who choose surgery as
the best alternative for them to improve their health."
To earn a Center
of Excellence designation, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital underwent a site inspection
during which all aspects of the program’s surgical processes were closely
examined and data on health outcomes was collected.
According to the
National Institute of Health, bariatric surgery is the only effective therapy
for morbid obesity and its complications. A variety of bariatric surgical
procedures can provide full remission of many co-morbidities associated with
obesity, including diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, asthma, cardiopulmonary
failure, and infertility. For more information about Inova Fair Oaks Hospital’s
bariatric program, call 703-391-3783.
Contact:
Che Parker
703-321-2559
Jeanne Mayer
703- 321-2918
Kimberly Gibbs
703-504-3438
