Lawrence + Memorial Hospital achieves national accreditation for its Bariatric Surgery program

New London, CT (May 16, 2024) – Patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving care at a nationally-accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality in the greater New London area.

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (L+M) announced that its Bariatric Surgery Center has been accredited as a Low Acuity Center by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint Quality Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

The MBSAQIP Standards, Optimal Resources for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, ensure that metabolic and bariatric patients receive multidisciplinary medical care, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. MBSAQIP-Accredited centers offer preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for patients with obesity.

“Our ability to leverage the skills and expertise of so many people across our health system makes the accreditation of the L+M program possible,” said Geoffrey S. Nadzam, MD, MHA, chair, Department of Surgery, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital; associate professor of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine. “I am proud of our bariatric surgery program for achieving this rigorous accreditation. This is an excellent example of the improvements we are making at L+M each day to better care for our community.”

L+M’s commitment to quality care begins with expertly trained staff and the leadership of an experienced bariatric surgeon. The program is tasked with continuous review of surgical data as they continue improving the structure and outcomes expertise necessary to provide safe, efficacious, and high-quality care to all metabolic and bariatric patients.

“Being a Surgical Quality Partner signifies that L+M is dedicated to excellence in surgical outcomes, patient safety, and continuous improvement,” said John Morton, MD, medical director, Bariatric Surgery, Yale New Haven Health System; professor of Surgery (Bariatric, Minimally Invasive) Yale School of Medicine. “This recognition reinforces that focusing on lifestyle changes, pre- and post-operative support services and care is leading-edge and patient-centric and results in better outcomes for our patients.”

To earn MBSAQIP Accreditation, L+M met essential criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure and patient care pathways, ensuring its ability to support patients with obesity. The hospital also participates in a national data registry that yields semi-annual reports on the quality of its surgical outcomes and identifying opportunities for quality improvement.

“MBSAQIP Accreditation is a reflection of our outstanding bariatric program that benefits from an experienced leadership team and tremendous patient resources,” said Richard C. Lisitano, president, L+M. “We are committed to quality initiatives that support the bariatric surgery program and make us a center of excellence for our patients.”

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. Metabolic and bariatric surgery has proven to be effective in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to obesity.*

Learn more about Bariatric services at L+M, or call the Bariatric Center at 877-925-3637.

*Buchwald H, Avidor Y, Braunwald E, et al. Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2004;292(14):1724-1737. DOI:10.1001/jama.292.14.1724.

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, a member of Yale New Haven Health, is a non-profit, 308-bed general and acute care hospital providing patient care to medical, surgical, pediatric, psychiatric and obstetrical patients in southeastern Connecticut and southern Rhode Island since 1912. Lawrence + Memorial offers cardiac acute, step-down and rehabilitation programs and is the only eastern Connecticut hospital that performs emergency and elective angioplasty. www.lmhospital.org