Sentara Martha Jefferson earns national accreditation

Patients seeking surgical treatment for severe obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving treatment at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality of care.  

Dr. Jayme Stokes, Bariatric Surgeon at Sentara Martha Jefferson Bariatric Care Center, today announced its bariatric surgical center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

The MBSAQIP Standards ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multidisciplinary program, not just a surgical procedure, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. The accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for their severely obese patients.

“It’s a huge honor to be recognized by your peers in your field that we’re providing good, effective and safe care,” said Dr. Stokes. “This accreditation tells patients that they will be receiving care at a center that is giving good, effective and safe care. They can come to us knowing they are in good hands.”

Sentara Martha Jefferson’s commitment to quality care begins with appropriately trained staff and the leadership surgeons who participate in meetings throughout the year to review its outcomes.  They seek continuous improvement to enhance the structure, process and outcomes of the center.

“We are proud to receive the MBSAQIP Accreditation, as it is a testament to all the hard work of our extraordinary team,” said Jonathan Davis, President of Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital. “Our team feels passionately about providing the best possible care for all of our patients. When a patient chooses to have bariatric surgery, they need to feel supported. Our team goes that extra mile to give them the tools they need to be successful throughout their healthcare journey while making them feel like a part of the Sentara Martha Jefferson family.”

After submitting an application, centers seeking MBSAQIP Accreditation undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon, who reviews the center's structure, process, and clinical outcomes data. Centers are awarded a specific designation depending on how many patients it serves annually, the type of procedures it provides, and whether it provides care for patients under age 18.