Brookwood Earns National Accreditation for Bariatric Center

Onsite center one of only four American College of Surgeons-accredited centers in Central Alabama

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – May 10, 2016 – Brookwood Baptist Medical Center recently earned national accreditation as a comprehensive bariatric center by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) – a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

The certification verifies that patients seeking surgical treatment for severe obesity and its related conditions will receive an extraordinary quality of care that meets the highest standards for patient safety. Only four centers in Central Alabama have earned the prestigious accreditation, two of which are Brookwood Baptist Health locations – Brookwood Baptist Medical Center and Princeton Baptist Medical Center.

“This accreditation is a testament to the commitment our staff has to offering our patients a multidisciplinary approach that includes preoperative and postoperative care personalized to each patient. It truly makes an impact on their long-term success,” Dr. Cameron Askew, Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Director at Brookwood Baptist Medical Center said.

To earn the MBSAQIP designation, the hospital underwent an extensive site visit to measure essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure and protocols for care – ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement.

“We’re really excited about what this means for our patients and the added confidence they can have when seeking care from our highly-trained team. We’re committed to excellent, compassionate care that treats patients holistically,” Chuck Stark, CEO at Brookwood Baptist Medical Center said.