Palomar Health's Bariatric Surgery Center recognized again as a Center of Excellence

SAN DIEGO – Pomerado Hospital, Palomar Health’s 107-bed acute care facility in Poway, has been recognized once again as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). The re-accreditation formally acknowledges Palomar Health’s commitment to providing quality improvement and the utmost safety for bariatric surgery patients, and demonstrates that the center provides multi-disciplinary, high-quality, patient-centered care.

“We are not surprised by our re-designation as a Center of Excellence,” said Charles D. Callery, M.D., FACS, Director of Bariatric Surgery for Pomerado Hospital, “but we are more than pleased to have the endorsement of the ASMBS. We know the agency has established very high standards for its membership and we are proud to meet them. Patients who undergo bariatric surgery here can be assured they will receive the finest care available – before, during, and after their procedure. Our efforts continue to give a growing number of obese patients from the Palomar Healthcare district and beyond, new opportunities for restored health.”

The BSCOE application process is one of the most rigorous in the industry. Bariatric programs must meet a strict list of requirements, including: site inspections, commitment to education, multidisciplinary care and data sharing. Once a program is accredited as a Center of Excellence, the site is inspected every three years to ensure requirements are still being met. Pomerado Hospital’s re-designation is effective until Nov. 30, 2015.

Pomerado Hospital’s Bariatric Surgery Center for Excellence first received ASMBS accreditation in 2006, but the surgical weight loss program has been caring for patients for more than 18 years. To date, Dr. Callery has performed nearly 4,000 bariatric surgeries. The veteran physician believes that as the epidemic of obesity in the United States continues, the Center of Excellence will see more patients at its doors.

“The most promising news,” said Dr. Callery, “is that the American Medical Association now recognizes obesity as a bio-chemical condition rather than a social vice. Obese patients are beginning to receive the psychological and medical support they need to overcome their condition.”

Dr. Callery expects the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence at Pomerado Hospital will help more than 200 patients achieve their desired weight this year.

For more information on Palomar Health’s Bariatric Surgery Center for Excellence, visit http://www.PalomarHealth.org/Bariatrics or call (858) 613-4022.

Palomar Health is the first and only California member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.