Loma Linda University Medical Center – Murrieta has received notification from the American College of Surgeons granting full approval as a Level-2 accredited bariatric center.
This designation follows extensive preparation and education of staff; investment in supplies and equipment; patient education and support; and successful surgery outcomes.
“We are very pleased to reach this important milestone so early in our growth as a hospital,” states LLUMC-Murrieta CEO Rick Rawson, MBA. “Weight-loss surgery is an important service line that we believe helps us fulfill our mission to continue the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ. Patients who receive this life-saving procedure can see their diabetes reversed and their risk of heart disease and cancer dramatically decline.”
The bariatric surgery program at LLUMC-Murrieta began in April of 2012; since then 98 patients have been treated with sleeve gastrectomy, gastric banding, or gastric bypass surgeries. These procedures are done with comprehensive medically supervised weight loss support that is customized to each patient. Patients receive pre-operative and post-operative education, support, and classes.
David Suh, MD, who serves as medical director of the bariatric surgery program at Murrieta, has helped to lead the program’s development.
“This achievement speaks to the dedication and quality of the employees at LLUMC-Murrieta,” he says. “I congratulate this team; they are so dedicated to excellence.”
LLUMC-Murrieta opened on April 15, 2011, and since then has rapidly grown its services to include providing the first and only interventional cardiology program in its area.
This bariatric Level-2 accreditation is a significant step for the hospital,” says Senior VP for Clinical Operations Liz Dickinson, MPH, “as we strive to build comprehensive service lines that achieve the highest levels in standards of care for our patients.”
