By: Deborah Johnson Wood
On May 12, Saint Mary's Health Care will perform the first surgery of its inaugural bariatric surgery program. The program is a partnership between Saint Mary's, Grand Health Partners and Advantage Health Physician Network -- a comprehensive program offering surgical and non-surgical weight loss options and follow-up care for obese patients.
"One of the difficulties in weight loss
surgery is it's supposed to be a lifelong relationship with the
patient, but 50 percent of patients stop seeing their bariatric surgeon
after they have the surgery," says Dr. Paul Kemmeter, medical director
of the bariatric program and a founding partner of Grand Health
Partners. "We need to monitor that they're getting their nutrition."
Between 10 and 20 percent of bariatric surgery patients gain back the weight, and that's where Advantage Health's Weigh to Wellness
program can help patients with intensive dietary and nutritional
courses, behavioral counseling, medication and exercise, says Kemmeter.
Dr. Kimberly Turke, head of the Weigh
to Wellness program, says they are still working out how patients will
move through the program. The key, Turke says, is to create a process
that will enable patients to develop comfortable, trusting
relationships with their doctors so patients have the greatest chance
for successful and lasting weight loss.
The development of the
program created a bariatric coordinator position that Saint Mary's
filled with a bariatric certified nurse (BCN).
Grand Health
Partners, who also perform bariatric surgeries at Spectrum Health, will
add three new jobs this year: bariatric surgeon, physician's assistant
and an administrative position.
Kemmeter offers four types of
bariatric surgery, including lap banding and duodenal switch. He
performs most surgeries via laparoscopy, thereby minimizing pain and
reducing recovery times.
Some 25 million U.S. residents are
morbidly obese, Kemmeter says. He expects to perform 150 surgeries at
Saint Mary's by year's end.
"We hope to help more patients regain a healthier life," he adds.
Source: Dr. Paul Kemmeter, Saint Mary's
Health Care, Grand Health Partners; Dr. Kimberly Turke, Advantage
Health Weigh to Wellness
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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