Theda Clark Program Named a Comprehensive Center for Weight-loss Surgery
The Theda Clark Bariatric Program, which is a joint program of Theda Clark Medical Center and its surgeon partners at Midwest Bariatrics Solutions, has been reaccredited as a Comprehensive Center for bariatric surgery from several nationally recognized surgery organizations.
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), in partnership with the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), accredited Theda Clark’s program for the next three years. The accreditation recognizes that the program meets the needs of bariatric patients by providing multidisciplinary, high-quality and patient-centered care.
To earn the recognition, the Neenah-based program underwent a thorough site inspection during which all aspects of the program’s surgical and additional clinical processes were closely examined and data on health outcomes was collected.
Surgeons Raymond Georgen, MD, and Kevin Wasco, MD, co-founded Midwest Bariatrics Solutions in 2002 and co-direct the Theda Clark Bariatric Program. Theda Clark has been accredited since 2006, the year the organizations began accrediting bariatric programs.
Drs. Georgen and Wasco perform three types of bariatric surgery that restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold. About 200 patients annually receive the surgery at Theda Clark, the only hospital in the Fox Cities and Oshkosh to offer the procedure.
“It’s always gratifying to be recognized for our clinical outcomes and helping our patients lead healthier lives,” Dr. Georgen said. “Unfortunately, patients afflicted with morbid obesity not only are debilitated from inherent weight issues of the disease, but also suffer from other associated medical problems, such as diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea. As a physician, it is quite rewarding to improve an individual’s life by allowing one to live at a more manageable weight and also dramatically improve or cure their other associated medical problems.”
Dr. Wasco said the surgery is just one part of a comprehensive program that treats the “whole patient.”
“We have an excellent comprehensive multidisciplinary program offering nutritional, psychological, medical and exercise support,” he said. “We are there for the patient before, during and after surgery.”
Obesity has become a significant national health issue, with 7 out of 10 American adults considered overweight or obese. People who are morbidly obese, or have a body mass index higher than 40, are more likely to suffer from serious health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
In addition to significant weight loss, bariatric patients also experience dramatic decreases in acid reflux medication, the use of sleep apnea equipment, and diabetes and blood pressure medicines.
Drs. Georgen and Wasco also perform minimally invasive general, cancer and trauma surgery as well as critical care medicine.
For more than 100 years, ThedaCare™ has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 6,800 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 35 clinics in 14 counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service. Construction of ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center in Appleton is underway. For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
