MedStar Montgomery Medical Center Achieves National Accreditation for Its Bariatric Surgery Program

Meets all Criteria as a Comprehensive Center according to National Standards

The bariatric surgery program at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), signifying that it meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality of care.

A joint initiative of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the program recognizes facilities that provide multidisciplinary care to individuals seeking surgical treatment for severe obesity and its related conditions, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. The ACS, working with ASMBS, developed the program to assist bariatric patients in making more informed choices when selecting a provider.

“This is a testament to the hard work of our associates,” says John Brebbia, MD, FACS, MBA, director of the bariatric surgery program at MedStar Montgomery. “It provides assurance to patients and their families that the care they will receive from us is of the highest quality.”

To earn the MBSAQIP designation, MedStar Montgomery had to meet essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure as well as protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity. The process included an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon, who also reviewed clinical outcomes data.

“This means our patients can be confident that they will be evaluated and treated by a specially trained team uniquely equipped to provide a level of care that meets the most stringent standards—right here in Montgomery County,” Dr. Brebbia added. “As an accredited center, we will also participate in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of our processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 15.5 million people in the U.S. suffer from severe obesity, and the numbers continue to increase. Obesity increases the risk of conditions such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, among other health problems. Studies have proven the effectiveness of metabolic and bariatric surgical procedures in helping to reduce many of these co-morbid conditions.

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center is a 138-bed not-for-profit hospital serving the greater Baltimore and Washington metropolitan areas. A proud member of MedStar Health, MedStar Montgomery is committed to delivering the latest in modern medicine and medical technology.