Blessing Bariatric Institute earns national accreditation

QUINCY — The Blessing Bariatric Institute has earned the status of nationally accredited metabolic and bariatric surgical center from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, a joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. 

The accreditation includes an obesity medicine designation and covers the surgical and medical weight loss options offered by the Institute. The accreditation standards of the ACS and the ASMBS assist patients with obesity in identifying centers that provide optimal patient care.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 93 million adults in the United States are affected by obesity and that number continues to increase. Obesity increases the risks of serious illness and death because it contributes to other diseases including type II diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. Medical studies have shown metabolic and bariatric surgery to be effective in the reduction of heath conditions related to obesity.

To earn accreditation, the Blessing Bariatric Institute met national criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure and patient care pathways, ensuring its ability to provide safe, high quality care to patients with obesity. The accreditation process included an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon who reviewed the institute’s structure, processes, and clinical outcomes data.

Dr. Fernando Bonanni, Jr., board-certified surgeon and medical director of the Blessing Bariatric Institute, says the survey report highlighted several processes within the Institute that are best practice nationally, including multiple bariatric surgeons on staff, a social worker on the team, the Institute’s processes to prevent patient readmission to the hospital, and providing patient access to the Blessing Wellness Center for exercise.

“Bariatric surgery is an important specialty that changes and saves lives,” Dr. Bonanni stated. “I and other members of the team spend many months with patients deciding on the right surgery and preparing them for surgery. Then, we spend a lifetime after surgery guiding patients as they work to maintain healthy lives.”

In addition to three surgeons, the Blessing Bariatric team includes internal medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, medical office assistants, a nutritionist, social worker and physical therapist. The team’s goal is to reduce the load on the patient’s metabolism to decrease the risk for excess weight related diseases and increase quality of life.

As an accredited provider, the Blessing Bariatric Institute will participate in a national data registry to generate reports on the quality of its surgical outcomes and identify opportunities for quality improvement. 

For more information on the Blessing Bariatric Center’s obesity care options, call 217-214-5800.