Pacific Bariatric Performs 15,000th Procedure - Surpasses Milestone

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Surgeons at Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group (PBSMG) and Scripps Mercy Hospital recently performed their 15,000th bariatric surgical procedure. This milestone has been reached by only a handful of bariatric surgery programs in the world.

Surgeons with the practice have been performing weight-loss surgery on adult and adolescent patients at Scripps Mercy Hospital since 1993. As a result of outstanding aftercare programs and support groups, patients at Pacific Bariatric see a success rate of slightly higher than the national standard of 80 to 85 percent.

"It gives us great joy in knowing we have given so many individuals the opportunity to improve their lives and become healthier individuals. To have completed 15,000 surgeries is outstanding in itself, but the fulfillment is that in those 15,000 we have maintained a very low complication rate," said Laurence Tanaka, M.D., F.A.C.S., surgeon at Scripps Mercy Hospital and Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group. "This accomplishment helps to reaffirm the trust our patients have in our ability to safely offer them the best quality services available today."

"For many, our bariatric surgery support groups are one of the most valuable aspects of Pacific Bariatric's program," said Clair Boyer, Practice Administrator at Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group. "In addition to monthly group meetings, members are available to support each other informally by phone and email."

Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group with Scripps Mercy Hospital is a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. This honor is the result of years of dedicated service by surgeons, nurses, bariatric staff and Scripps Mercy Hospital. Only three other hospitals in San Diego County have earned this distinction from the Surgical Review Corporation and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one-third (32.9%) of U.S. adults are obese (nearly 72 million adults) and about 12 million (16.3%) of U.S. children ages 2 to 19 are obese. Morbid obesity is closely correlated with a number of serious conditions that severely undermine the health of overweight patients, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Bariatric surgery or other medical interventions are often the only long-lasting weight loss solution for clinically obese individuals.

About Pacific Bariatric

Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group, Inc. and Scripps Mercy Hospital are nationally designated by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as a Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery. Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group, also known as Hillcrest Surgical Medical Group, Inc., has an 80-year tradition of surgical excellence and leadership in San Diego County. For more information, visit www.pacificbariatric.com.

About Scripps Mercy Hospital

Established in 1890 by the Sisters of Mercy, Scripps Mercy Hospital serves the San Diego and Chula Vista communities. With 700 licensed beds, more than 3,000 employees and 1,300 physicians, Scripps Mercy Hospital is San Diego's longest established and only Catholic hospital. With two campuses, Scripps Mercy Hospital is the largest hospital in San Diego County and one of the 10 largest in California. For more information, visit www.scripps.org.

SOURCE Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group