Frye Regional Medical Center Receives National Designation as a Comprehensive Center for Bariatric Surgery

HICKORY, NC (July 28, 2022) – Frye Regional Medical Center, a Duke LifePoint hospital, announced today that its bariatric surgery program has been re-accredited 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 and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The Frye Regional Surgical Weight Loss Center has been accredited since 2005.

According to Jonathan Hata, MD, medical director of the Frye Regional Surgical Weight Loss Center, MBSAQIP accreditation signifies that Frye Regional meets national quality standards to deliver safe, high-quality care for metabolic and bariatric surgery patients. Accredited centers offer preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for patients with obesity.

“To be named a Comprehensive Center, Frye Regional met essential criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure and patient care pathways, ensuring its ability to support patients with obesity,” Dr. Hata said. “Our team could not have achieved this accreditation without the involvement of my colleagues, Dr. Baker Henson and Dr. Montgomery Cox, and the support from the program coordinator, bariatric nurses, quality department, anesthesia, surgical services, pre-op, dietary, radiology and post-anesthesia care. It truly takes a multidisciplinary team approach to care for surgical weight loss patients.”

The MBSAQIP Standards, Optimal Resources for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, ensure that metabolic and bariatric surgery patients receive multidisciplinary medical care, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success.

After applying for MBSAQIP accreditation, centers undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon who reviews the center's structure, processes, and clinical outcomes data. Centers that earn accreditation are awarded a specific designation level, depending on how many patients it serves annually, critical care capabilities, the types of procedures provided, and whether it provides care to patients under the age of 18.

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.

“Frye Regional has helped put thousands of individuals on the path to a healthier life through a personalized approach to bariatric surgery,” said Becky Steele, a registered dietitian and coordinator of the Frye Regional Surgical Weight Loss Center. “Our multidisciplinary medical team consists of surgeons, anesthesiologists, psychologist, exercise specialists, dietitian, nursing staff and support staff. We work together to assess each patient’s needs and help them achieve a healthier lifestyle.”

Established in 2001, Frye Regional Medical Center’s surgical weight loss program is one of the first accredited bariatric surgery programs in the state. Surgical weight loss options at Frye Regional include gastric bypass (laparoscopic Roux-en-Y) and gastric sleeve (laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy). The hospital also offers the option of robotic-assisted weight loss surgery, which allows the surgeons to perform these same procedures using the latest minimally invasive surgical technology. Compared to traditional laparoscopic procedures, robotic-assisted surgery offers patients similar potential benefits, including smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays and a quicker recovery.

In addition to MBSAQIP, Frye Regional’s bariatric accreditations and certifications include Aetna Institute for Quality for Bariatric Surgery, Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery, Cigna-Certified Bariatric Hospital and OptumHealth Bariatric Centers of Excellence.

Many health insurance plans cover weight loss surgery. The Frye Regional Surgical Weight Loss Center offers education and support before and after the procedure. To learn more or to take our free weight loss assessment, visit fryemedctr.com/surgical-weight-loss.