Only Gold Seal-Certified Bariatric Program in the State, One of Only Seven Nationally
New Brunswick, NJ – Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) has earned its second consecutive Gold Seal of Approval® for its Bariatric Surgery Program by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in disease-specific care. The certification award recognizes RWJUH’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards.
RWJUH is the only organization in New Jersey to have received this designation for the Bariatric Surgery program, and is one of only seven in the nation to earn the certification from The Joint Commission (TJC) for its dedication to quality and safety.
RWJUH underwent a rigorous, onsite review in June of 2021. During the visit, the Joint Commission reviewer evaluated compliance with related certification standards including Clinical Information Management, Performance Measurement, Program Management, Supporting Self-Management, as well as Delivering and Facilitating Clinical Care. The Joint Commission develops standards in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewer conducted onsite observations and interviews, and reported no findings for the RWJUH team.
“The RWJUH Bariatric team is well known for their commitment to programmatic excellence, which is reflected in this elite national recognition from The Joint Commission,” says Bill Arnold, President and CEO of RWJUH. “The surveyors commended the team on their many strengths, including teamwork, commitments to patient safety, collaborations, and more. Our Bariatric Surgery program is one that can be used as an example of quality and performance across all disease-specific categories.”
“Bariatric Surgery Program Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend RWJUH for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for bariatric patients.”
“Our team is incredibly proud to be the only program in the state, and one of seven in the nation, to earn the Gold Seal of Approval,” said Ragui Sadek, M.D., FACS, FASMBS, Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery at RWJUH. “Our dedication to building personalized care plans that includes education, evaluation, state-of-the-art procedures and lifetime follow-up changes lives. We are honored to be recognized by The Joint Commission for this commitment to excellence and care.”
The RWJUH team’s preparation for the site visit included multi-disciplinary meetings with representative across the many departments that contribute to care in bariatrics. The team holds monthly process review meetings to ensure continuous improvement to the program.
Additionally, the RWJUH Bariatric Surgery program has been named in the top five percent of the nation for Bariatric Surgery for two years in a row by Healthgrades, and is the only hospital in central and southern New Jersey recognized at this level two years in a row.
About the Bariatric Surgery Center at RWJUH
The Bariatric Surgery Center at RWJUH is a highly accredited, comprehensive medical program providing care for overweight and obese patients age 15 and older. The Bariatric Surgery Center staff is composed of a multidisciplinary team of specialists who develop a personalized lifetime care plan for each patient based on their individual needs and risk factors. Qualified individuals participate in medically supervised weight loss programs before referral for bariatric surgery. Throughout the process, patients benefit from educational programs, support groups and specialists to aid in the life-changing transition.
For more information, please visit the Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery Center at RWJUH. To learn more about the Gold Seal designation, visit The Joint Commission website.