University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics has been named an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Center of Excellence®. The Centers of Excellence program was created to recognize baratric surgery centers that perform well to help surgeons and hospitals continue to improve the quality and safety of care provided.
Debi Heitshusen, RN, Bariatric Surgery Coordinator at UI Hospitals and Clinics, talks about what the Center of Excellence designation means:
What qualifies a hospital, like UI Hospitals and Clinics, to be granted a Center of Excellence certification?
To earn a Center of Excellence designation, our program had to meet many standards. We have to perform 125 gastric bypass surgeries a year. These operations have to be standardized—done the same every time to keep complication rates low.
Our CareMaps and protocols had to be in place. We had to have a pre- and post-operative patient education program, ensuring that we have a follow-up program and a monthly support group. We underwent a site visit, showing our standards in patient care,our continued low complication rate, and excellent outcomes.
What are the benefits of the Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence® program?
The Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence® benefits patients by enhancing the safety of the surgery. It provides a platform for continuous procedure improvement. Building a shared database helps guide decisions about patient care in the future and advancing research in the field. And we all know that a lot of research still needs to be done in the field of obesity.
Who is part of the UI Obesity Surgery team?
The team here at the University of Iowa consists of:
- Isaac Samuel, MD, surgeon and director of the program
- Mohammad Jamal, MD, surgeon
- Debi Heitshusen, RN, bariatric coordinator
- Lynn Gingrich, bariatric physicians’ assistant
- Amy Lucas, RD, dietitian
- Rich Mohan, MD
Our outreach people in psychiatry and exercise physiology help prepare the patient for surgery.
How does someone qualify to have bariatric or weight loss surgery at UI Hospitals and Clinics?
The qualifications for a patient to have bariatric surgery is based on the BMI. With the BMI of 35 to 40, a patient qualifies but must have diabetes, sleep apnea, or hypertension. With a BMI of 40 or greater, they would qualify they’re generally 100 pounds overweight, without significant comorbidities. Anyone with a BMI greater than 50 certainly would qualify. It depends on the insurance that they have.
How are patients followed before, during, and after their weight loss surgery?
When we first see patients, we do an extensive educational program which continues every time we see them. We prepare them to get their body ready for surgery. We explain the surgery and what they need to do in order to be ready for the surgery and have a good outcome. At every appointment they see the nurse and dietitian to be sure they’re following the standard a good lifelong outcome.
If somebody is interested in learning more about weight loss surgery, how do they get a hold of you?
Call our UI Obesity Surgery office at 319-356-1887. |
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Isaac Samuel, MD
Mohammad Jamal, MD
Debi Heitshusen, RN
UI Obesity Surgery
The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
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