Overlook Medical Center earns national bariatric surgery accreditation, ACS quality designation
SUMMIT, N.J. (Union County) — Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center has received national accreditation under a bariatric surgery quality program run jointly by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the hospital announced.
Overlook was accredited through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, known as MBSAQIP, and was also reaccredited as a Comprehensive Center with Adolescent Accreditation, the hospital said. The designation signals the facility meets standards for safe, high-quality surgical and multidisciplinary care for both adult and adolescent patients.
MBSAQIP is a nationwide surgical quality program aimed at ensuring metabolic and bariatric surgery is performed safely and effectively, with outcomes focused on weight loss and treatment of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and sleep apnea, the hospital said. Research shows accredited centers experience lower complications and better outcomes than non-accredited facilities, according to the announcement.
Overlook said its bariatric surgery program has expanded in recent years, adding teams trained in robotic surgery with dedicated operating room time and advanced diagnostic tools.
“Our program has a strong foundation and is deeply focused on providing high-quality, comprehensive care,” said Colleen Zehala, RN, BSN, manager of the bariatric program at Overlook. “We use innovative, advanced techniques and bring together a multidisciplinary team of experts and highly experienced surgeons to ensure the best outcomes for our patients.”
The hospital said MBSAQIP accreditation also makes Overlook an ACS Surgical Quality Partner — a designation intended to reflect a hospital’s commitment to evaluating outcomes, improving processes and adhering to ACS standards.
“ACS Quality programs are grounded in more than a century of experience and participation is an important measure of a hospital’s surgical quality. As an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center has shown a commitment to providing the best possible patient care, evaluating that care in a rigorous fashion, and dedicating itself to continuous self-improvement,” said ACS Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS.
