UPMC Horizon weight loss surgery program named a Center of Excellence by Health America/Health Assurance

Greenville, PA — UPMC Horizon’s Bariatric Surgery Center has been recertified as a Center of Excellence within Health America/Health Assurance’s network of hospital providers in Pennsylvania and Ohio through the end of 2007. The hospital has held this certification since 2004.

Health America/Health Assurance surveyed facilities in its network for several months on bariatric surgery capabilities and developed rigorous criteria based on its own assessments and national guidelines. UPMC Horizon will continue to be listed as a Center for Excellence in bariatric surgery in Health America/Health Assurance’s provider directory and on its web site.

Bariatric, or weight loss, surgery treats obesity and promotes weight loss by making the stomach smaller to reduce food intake and/or bypassing a section of the intestines to decrease food absorption. Candidates for the surgery are usually 100 or more pounds overweight and have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. A BMI is determined by calculating the ratio between height in inches and weight in pounds.

The surgery is not only a tool for weight loss, it also helps reduce the risk of obesity-related conditions including high blood pressure, type II (adult onset) diabetes, and sleep apnea. Statistics show individuals may lose 65 to 80 percent of excess body weight over a period of time after surgery.

James J. Kolenich, M.D., and Alexander Barkan, MD, of Greenville Surgical Associates – UPMC perform bariatric surgery at UPMC Horizon’s Greenville campus and work with hospital staff in disciplines such as nursing, nutritional services, wellness, physical therapy, and psychological services to offer a comprehensive weight loss surgery program.

UPMC Horizon also was designated as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery in 2005.

Anyone interested in attending a free, informative session on the bariatric surgery program at UPMC Horizon should call Jonathan Bailey, bariatric program coordinator, at 724-589-6642.

Contact: Erin Palko, public relations manager, 724-589-8107