Weight loss surgery is more advanced than ever
Bariatric surgery certainly has evolved. Gastric band and gastric bypass can help provide a solution for people living with obesity. However, these procedures are delicate, so the quality of health care facility you select truly matters.
What to look for in a bariatric surgery facility
To help simplify choosing a quality hospital or health care facility, here are five factors to consider:
1. Experience
Significant experience matters. Not only the number of years performing select procedures, but also, how many of them are performed in a year. For inpatient facilities, 125 procedures is a good benchmark; 75 for ambulatory surgery centers.
2. Standards
Performance against accepted measurements is a key indicator of success. A quality facility meets recognized standards for clinical outcomes, care processes and patient safety.
3. Support
Surgery is only one part of the treatment process. Bariatric surgery patients should seek facilities that provide ongoing follow-up programs.
4. Efficiency
Consider how the facility is run. Is the program comprehensive and efficient enough to sustain low complication and readmission rates that lead to lower cost of care?
5. Accreditation
Ambulatory surgery centers should be accredited by at least one of the following: American Association of Ambulatory Healthcare, American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, American Osteopathic Associations' Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, or Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
Consider Aetna Institutes of Quality® Bariatric Surgery Facilities
Aetna Institutes of Quality (IOQ) is a network of facilities that have been specifically selected for meeting (and surpassing) all of these criteria.
Additional requirements for selection to the Network include:
- A quality improvement program that includes data sharing
- At least 75% of surgical cases are followed up 12 months after surgery
- An organized aftercare program with patient follow-up for at least 12 months
Health benefits and health insurance plans are offered and/or underwritten by Aetna Health Inc., Aetna Health of California Inc., Aetna Health Insurance Company of New York, Aetna Health Insurance Company and/or Aetna Life Insurance Company (Aetna). In Florida by Aetna Health Inc. and/or Aetna Life Insurance Company. In Maryland by Aetna Health Inc., 151 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06156. Each insurer has sole financial responsibility for its own products.
This material is for information only. Health benefits and health insurance plans contain exclusions and limitations. Providers are independent contractors and are not agents of Aetna. Provider participation may change without notice. Aetna does not provide care or guarantee access to health services.
