New Members
NASHOBA VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER IS NAMED
LOW ACUITY METABOLIC AND BARIATRIC SURGERY CENTER
Hospital achieves accreditation from the
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program®
Ayer, MA, December 11, 2023 – Nashoba Valley Medical Center (NVMC) announced today 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 designation ensures that metabolic and bariatric patients receive multidisciplinary medical care, including preoperative and postoperative care, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success.
To earn MBSAQIP Accreditation, NVMC had to meet rigorous criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure and patient care pathways, ensuring its ability to support patients with obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its surgical outcomes and identifying opportunities for quality improvement. As a low acuity metabolic and bariatric center, the NVMC program must continuously review surgical data and continue improving the structure and outcomes expertise necessary to provide safe, efficacious, and high-quality care to all metabolic and bariatric patients.
“Patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions now have a high-quality choice in the Nashoba Valley, and can receive care at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality,” said Michael Jiser, MD, Bariatric Surgeon, Director of Bariatrics at NVMC.
“This is one more indication of the high quality patient care delivered by Nashoba Valley Medical Center,” said president Salvatore Perla. “Our staff has met the rigorous standards established by the MBSAQIP® and we are proud that we can tell prospective patients they will receive the highest quality, multidisciplinary care, right here in the Nashoba Valley close to their homes.”
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.
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About Nashoba Valley Medical Center
Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer, Massachusetts, is a community hospital serving 16 communities in North Central Massachusetts. Founded in 1964, the hospital’s highly qualified medical staff with 115 active and associate member physicians offers community-based primary care and specialty services.
About Steward Health Care
Over a decade ago, Steward Health Care System emerged as a different kind of health care company designed to usher in a new era of wellness. One that provides our patients better, more proactive care at a sustainable cost, our providers unrivaled coordination of care, and our communities greater prosperity and stability.
As the country’s largest physician-led, minority-owned, integrated health care system, our doctors can be certain that we share their interests and those of their patients. Together we are on a mission to revolutionize the way health care is delivered - creating healthier lives, thriving communities and a better world.
Steward is among the nation’s largest and most successful accountable care organizations (ACO), with more than 4,450 providers and 30,000 health care professionals who care for 12.3 million patients a year through a closely integrated network of hospitals, multispecialty medical groups, urgent care centers, skilled nursing facilities and behavioral health centers.
Based in Dallas, Steward currently operates 33 hospitals across Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
For more information, visit www.steward.org.
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the quality of care for surgical patients. Its achievements have placed it at the forefront of American surgery and have made the College an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 82,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.
About the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is the largest organization for metabolic and bariatric surgeons in the world, with more than 4,200 members. It is a not-for-profit organization that works to advance the science of metabolic and bariatric surgery. The ASMBS is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public about metabolic and bariatric surgery, including the associated risks and benefits, as a treatment option for obesity.
