The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and 10 other medical/specialty societies cosponsored a resolution that the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates passed during the meeting earlier this month, which recognizes obesity as a disease state that has multiple pathophysiological aspects requiring a range of interventions to advance treatment and prevention. In offering its support for the resolution, the ACS acknowledged that many physicians already treat obesity as a disease state. In fact, bariatric surgeons are often on the frontlines of treating this disease, with life-improving and lifesaving results.
The College’s testimony further noted that through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the ACS and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery have come together to develop accreditation standards for bariatric surgery centers. This accreditation symbolizes an institution’s commitment and accountability to safe, high-quality surgical care. Currently, 640 bariatric surgery centers throughout the country are accredited through the MBSAQIP, and these centers and their surgeons treat obesity as a disease.
For more information regarding the College’s support of AMA Resolution 420, contact jsutton@facs.org. For details regarding the MBSAQIP, go to http://www.mbsaqip.org.