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Program FAQ | Patient Resources | Publications
Program FAQ
Is applying for ACS Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation the same as applying to be a Surgical Review Corporation Center of Excellence (SRC COE)?
No. These are two separate programs. The ACS BSCN Accreditation Program is administered by the American College of Surgeons and is not the same program as the SRC COE.
What does the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provide reimbursement for?
The CMS National Coverage Decision for bariatric surgery procedures, released on February 21, 2006, is available on the CMS Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=1786.
Do you credential bariatric surgeons?
No. Accreditation is institution-based and is not a substitute for credentialing individual surgeons. The ACS BSCN sets standards for surgeon credentials, but it is the institution’s responsibility to credential its own surgeons.
Do you regulate the number and type of operations performed by surgeons?
Yes. For each active bariatric surgeon, the ACS BSCN has minimum volume requirements for operations, and the allowable types of operations will differ based on the center’s accreditation level. Chapter eight in the Accreditation Program Manual outlines the ACS BSCN allowable standard and non-standard procedures that surgeons may perform at an ACS Accredited Bariatric Center.
How often do you revise the program standards in the ACS BSCN Accreditation Program Manual?
The Advisory Committee reviews the manual every spring and as necessary throughout the year. The Advisory Committee may change or modify the processes, standards, and stipulations set forth in the Accreditation Program Manual as new knowledge, new technology, and experience require.
How does the ACS BSCN relate to the SRC, NIH, SAGES, the NIDDK LABS Consortium, and other entities?
The ACS is a not-for-profit, independent entity that was founded in 1913. It is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. Although we collaborate with, and are informed by groups such as the NIH, we are an independent body. We are grateful for the guidance and encouragement we have received from these organizations, which greatly inform the development of our standards and guidelines. Many Fellows of the American College of Surgeons serve on these organizations’ workgroups and ad hoc committees.
What is the relationship of the ACS BSCN to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)?
Nearly 100 percent of ASMBS members are ACS Fellows. Several of the ACS BSCN Advisory Committee members and site reviewers have served, or currently serve, as leaders on ASMBS committees and boards. We consider ASMBS to be a valuable partner and leader in the development of standards for bariatric surgery.
Patient Resources
Patient Education Information from the American College of Surgeons
(http://www.facs.org/patienteducation)
Weight Loss Surgery, NIH
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/weightlosssurgery.html)
Bariatric Surgeries for Obesity, NIH
(http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/gastric.htm)
Vertical Banded Gastroplasty, NIH
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/19498.htm)
American College of Surgeons – Find a Surgeon
(http://www.facs.org/public_info/yourhealth/findadoc.html)
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Find a Surgeon
(http://www.sages.org/about/findmember.php)
Publications
Article - American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network: Establishing Standards
Brochure – ACS BSCN Accreditation Program
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