Newswise — The Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care is designated a Level 1 facility under the Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). To achieve this accreditation, Loyola had to meet a number of rigorous institutional performance measures.

“Earning this accreditation demonstrates Loyola's commitment to excellence in providing the highest standard of patient care," says Bipan Chand, MD, FACS, FASMBS, FASGE, director of the Loyola center. "For most patients suffering from obesity, losing weight is truly a lifesaver that adds years to lives, eliminates or reduces many chronic conditions and improves quality of life."

Illinois is now the 24th most obese state in the nation. According to the Trust for America’s Health, the adult obesity rate in Illinois is 28.1 percent, up from 23.2 percent in 2003 and from 12.1 percent in 1990. More than half of all Americans are overweight and more than 15 million people suffer from severe obesity. “At Loyola, we treat obesity as a complex disease. Patients come to Loyola because we design a treatment solution tailored to each patient and offer lifelong support for weight management,” says Chand. “Surgical options may be part of the care plan but Loyola also offers several non-surgical tools that for many are effective.”

Since opening on July 10, 2012 at Loyola’s Maywood campus, a multidisciplinary team of bariatric-certified professionals including surgeons, psychologists, dieticians, exercise physiologists and physicians has cared for hundreds of morbidly obese men, women and children. Surgical procedures offered by Loyola include laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

To earn accreditation, Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery Bariatric Care underwent a voluntary evaluation conducted by an independent team of experienced bariatric surgeons. Loyola was deemed to meet the rigorous, nationally recognized standards outlined by the BSCN ACS for:• Safety of the bariatric surgery patient• Documented, quality surgical outcomes• Standards of practice• Highly trained and experienced medical professionals.• Specially designed facilities to accommodate obese patients and their families• Comprehensive medical, nutritional, and psychological support throughout the treatment processTo watch Dr. Chand talk about the Loyola bariatrics program, click on

http://loyolamedicine.org/people/bipan-chand

The Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care is located at 719 W. North Avenue in Melrose Park. Free information sessions and more can be found at Loyolamedicine.org/bariatrics or by calling (800) 355-0416.