News Release- March 13, 2013

Mercy Hospital’s LAP-BAND Program® Designated a Bariatric Surgery Center 
By the ACS Bariatric Surgery Center Network

Chicago IL: Mercy Hospital’s Lap- BAND Program ®, led by Rami Lutfi, MD was recently designated an Accredited Bariatric Surgery Center by the Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This designation means that Mercy Hospital has met and exceeded the essential criteria that ensures it is fully capable of supporting a bariatric surgery care program and that its institutional performance meets the requirements outlined by the ACS BSCN Accreditation Program.

“This designation shows that here at Mercy we continue to offer the highest quality of care to our patients, with exceptional outcomes in bariatric surgery, said Rami Lutfi, MD, Medical Director of the Program. 

Established by the American College of Surgeons in 2005 in an effort to extend established quality improvement practices to all disciplines of surgical care, the ACS BSCN Accreditation Program provides confirmation that a bariatric surgery center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality care for its bariatric surgery patients.  Accredited bariatric surgery centers provide not only the hospital resources necessary for optimal care of morbidly obese patients, but also the support and resources that are necessary to address the entire spectrum of care and needs of bariatric patients, from the pre-hospital phase through the postoperative care and treatment process.

For ACS BSCN accreditation, each hospital undergoes an on-site verification by experienced bariatric surgeons, who review the center’s structure, process, and quality of data. Because high-quality surgical care requires documentation using reliable measurements of outcomes, accredited bariatric surgery centers are required to report their bariatric surgery outcomes data either to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) or the College’s BSCN Database, using a Web-based data entry system.

In the U.S., more than 11 million people suffer from severe obesity, and those numbers continue to increase with other risk factors as well including type II diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, among other health risks. Experts at Mercy are helping patients reverse and control the health risks associated with obesity including diabetes and hypertension by using the LAP-BAND ® System. Mercy Hospital is a leader in LAP-BAND® weight loss surgery, performing the most procedures in the state of Illinois and now offering the innovative single incision surgery with no visible scar.

“Our team of experts at Mercy is dedicated to helping those who are living with obesity to experience long-term, permanent weight loss,” adds Dr. Lutfi.  “It doesn’t end at surgery; we offer a comprehensive approach to our patients ensuring that they can live happy, fulfilling lives and keep the weight off even after the surgery.”

To learn more about Mercy’s Lap BAND Program® visit www.mercy-chicago.org/lap-band 

About Mercy Hospital:
Mercy Hospital & Medical Center provides a comprehensive approach to wellness that incorporates prevention, early intervention, and disease management. Through treatment and education, Mercy Hospital strives to empower the community to take charge of their health and make the appropriate lifestyle and behavioral changes necessary to avoid serious health complications. Mercy's ideal location, just minutes south of the loop, is easily accessible by all main arteries. And at Mercy, patients and visitors will find convenient, parking. To learn more about Mercy Hospital, visit www.mercy-chicago.org 

About American College of Surgeons (ACS)
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. Its achievements have placed it at the forefront of American surgery and have made the ACS an important advocate for all surgical patients. The ACS has more than 70,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.

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