JFK Medical Center Earns National Accreditation from the American College of Surgeons
Facility meets all criteria as a Level 1 Center according to quality standards established by American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network Program
Edison, NJ – April 15, 2014 – The bariatric surgery center at JFK Medical Center has been accredited as a Level 1 facility under the Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The accreditation demonstrates the surgery center’s commitment to delivering the highest quality care for its bariatric surgery patients.
To earn the accreditation, JFK Medical Center met the essential criteria that ensure its ability to support a bariatric surgical care program and the institutional performance requirements outlined by the BSCN Accreditation Standards. Accredited bariatric surgery centers provide both the hospital resources necessary for optimal care of morbidly obese patients and the support and resources necessary to address the entire spectrum of care and needs of bariatric patients, both pre- and postoperatively.
ACS BSCN accreditation is awarded in categories, each with its own criteria that must be met. Facilities undergo a site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon, who reviews the facilities’ structure, process, and data quality. Because optimal surgical care requires documentation using reliable outcomes measures, accredited bariatric surgery centers are required to report their outcomes data to the MBSAQIP Data Registry Platform.
Alexander Abkin, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery at JFK Medical Center, said, “National accreditation by an organization like the American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network helps our patients to understand that JFK’s reputation for excellence in clinical care extends to our bariatric surgery program. We have gone to great lengths to ensure that each patient can be safely cared for, in a system that understands the needs of the obese patient, using the most up-to-date practices in bariatric surgery. The ACS BSCN Level 1 accreditation recognizes this accomplishment in an established bariatric center.”
Dr. Abkin leads a practice dedicated to minimally invasive weight loss surgery and medical weight loss management.
About JFK Medical Center
Founded in 1967, JFK Medical Center is a non-profit 498-bed community hospital, serving residents of Middlesex, Union and Somerset counties in Central New Jersey. With more than 900 affiliated physicians, JFK offers a complete array of advanced services including general and specialized surgery, cardiac care, maternity and pediatric care, and emergency medicine. JFK Medical Center is an affiliate of JFK Health and accredited by the Joint Commission.
