St. Anthony's Carillon Surgery Center Receives Top Accreditation for Bariatric Surgery Program

Surgery Center the First Non-Hospital Site in Florida to Receive Accreditation

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Carillon Surgery Center has become the first ambulatory surgery center in Florida to be granted full accreditation by the American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network (ACS BSCN) Accreditation Program. Carillon is only the seventh outpatient center nationwide that is fully accredited with the ACS.

The ACS BSCN Accreditation Program provides confirmation that a bariatric surgery center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality care for its bariatric surgery patients. Accredited bariatric surgery centers provide not only the resources necessary for optimal care of morbidly obese patients, but also the support and resources necessary to address the entire spectrum of care and needs of bariatric patients, from the pre-surgery phase through the postoperative care and treatment process.

"We are proud of this distinction and its' recognition of the hard work of our team to provide this surgery to all of those in need of becoming healthy, active adults," said Tiffany Jessee, DO, the medical director at Carillon where she performs bariatric surgery. "By providing this surgery on an outpatient basis, we can give our patients the opportunity for a faster recovery and to begin a healthier lifestyle."

This designation means that the Carillon Surgery Center has met the essential criteria that ensure it is fully capable of supporting a bariatric surgery care program and that its institutional performance meets the requirements outlined by the ACS BSCN Accreditation Program.

Accredited outpatient centers offer the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band procedure, also known as gastric bands or lap bands, which is quickly growing in acceptance and practice as an outpatient surgical procedure to address the epidemic of obesity and co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.  This is the only bariatric procedure that is performed by the accredited outpatient centers.

In the United States, more than 11 million people suffer from severe obesity, and the numbers continue to grow. Obesity increases the risks of morbidity and mortality because of the diseases and conditions that are commonly associated with it, such as type II diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

The American College of Surgeons is committed to extending its quality initiatives to accrediting bariatric surgery centers so that it can assist the public in identifying those facilities that provide optimal surgical care for patients who undergo this surgical procedure.    

"This accreditation provides assurance to the community that they are receiving the highest level of care in this procedure," said Kevin Huguet, MD, a bariatric surgeon who is bariatric medical director for St Anthony's Hospital.

In addition to the lap band procedure, the Carillon Surgery Center also offers a full array of health care services including pediatric and adult outpatient surgical procedures in the specialties of gastroenterology, general surgery, otolaryngology (ENT), gynecology, pain, orthopedics and urology.

The Carillon Surgery Center is located at 900 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg. For information, please call (727) 561-2710.

About St. Anthony's Hospital

St. Anthony's Hospital is a 395-bed hospital founded in 1931 as a ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and is the first and only faith-based hospital in Pinellas County. As St. Anthony's celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2011, the hospital continues its rich history dedicated to improving the health of the community by providing high-quality, innovative and compassionate care. In 2010, St. Anthony's Hospital earned the prestigious ENERGY STAR award by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for superior energy efficiency for a second year.  St. Anthony's Susan Sheppard McGillicuddy Breast Center is the only breast center in St. Petersburg honored with accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) and the American College of Radiology (ACR).

About BayCare Health System

BayCare Health System is a leading community-based health system in the Tampa Bay area. Composed of a network of 10 not-for-profit hospitals, outpatient facilities and services such as imaging, lab, behavioral health and home health care, BayCare provides expert medical care throughout a patient's lifetime. With more than 200 access points conveniently located throughout Tampa Bay, BayCare connects patients to a complete range of preventive, diagnostic and treatment services for any health care need.  

BayCare's family of hospitals are: Mease Countryside, Mease Dunedin, Morton Plant, Morton Plant North Bay, St. Anthony's, St. Joseph's, St. Joseph's Children's, St. Joseph's Hospital-North, St. Joseph's Women's, and South Florida Baptist. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System