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Dr. Philip Weber, Director of Bariatric Surgery at White Plains Hospital, announced its bariatric surgical center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). White Plains Hospital is one of only two hospitals in Westchester to receive the accreditation.
In the United States, around 15.5 million people suffer from severe obesity, according to the National Institutes of Health, and the numbers continue to increase.
The MBSAQIP Standards ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multidisciplinary program, not just a surgical procedure, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. The White Plains Hospital accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for severely obese patients.
This designation of Comprehensive Center is an affirmation of the long, excellent history of bariatric surgery at White Plains Hospital. The program was started in 1998 by Dr. William Homan and his wife, Valerie. Under their direction, the bariatric surgery program at White Plains Hospital received the first Center of Excellence designation in Westchester County.
“This designation is a credit to our outstanding, highly dedicated team that includes a bariatric coordinator, a nutritionist, a physical therapist, and expert nurses. Our anesthesia care is provided by Westchester Anesthesiologists, a phenomenal group of anesthesiologists who are all board certified and experienced in working with bariatric patients,” said Dr. Weber.
Bariatric Program Coordinator Sandi Gallo, R.N. added, “We are dedicated to providing a comprehensive program that truly helps our patients succeed in improving their health in the long term.” The Hospital also offer monthly support groups to patients who undergo weight loss surgery.
To earn the MBSAQIP designation, White Plains Hospital met essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure, as well as protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity.
After submitting an application, centers seeking MBSAQIP Accreditation undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon, who reviews the center's structure, process, and clinical outcomes data. Centers are awarded a specific designation depending on how many patients it serves annually, the type of procedures it provides, and whether it provides care for patients under age 18.
