Weight-loss surgery faces beefed-up state regulations
August 19, 2004
By Jules Crittenden
After a series of deaths related to weight-loss surgery, the Board of Registration in Medicine yesterday assigned its Patient Care Assessment Committee to oversee how hospitals implement new safety guidelines.
The board's chairman, Dr. Martin Crane, called the six-month study by the board and the Department of Public Health ``a success story'' that shows how the state can react to patient-care problems.
DPH Commissioner Christine Ferguson said, ``It is clear that the mandatory reporting systems we have in place in Massachusetts work. . . . This was an area that needed to be looked at.''
The number of weight-loss surgeries jumped from 402 in 1998 to 2,761 last year. After six patients died last year within 30 days of surgery, the board called for action.
The 100 recommendations released Aug. 4 and adopted by the board yesterday include strict credentialing of surgeons and oversight by experienced surgeons; educating patients on alternatives to gastric bypass; new criteria for patient eligibility; and attention to anesthetic care, pain management and post-surgery care.
While DPH is considering regulations, the board's existing authority allows it to work cooperatively with hospitals rather than go through the cumbersome regulatory process. Crane said PCA oversight, with the board's authority to recommend hospital audits and licensure reviews, creates a ``more flexible'' system that can keep pace with emerging problems and evolving technology.
Source:http://news.bostonherald.com
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