Obesity is a serious disease affecting physical, mental, emotional, and social health. Baptist Health offers a range of weight-loss options, from medical weight management to bariatric surgery, to help patients achieve their weight loss goals and improve their overall health. This article provides an overview of the weight loss services offered by Baptist Health, including medical weight loss programs and surgical options.
Baptist Metabolic Weight Loss
Baptist Metabolic Weight Loss provides medical weight management therapies for patients seeking to achieve weight loss goals and optimize overall health. Their non-surgical weight management techniques offer patients a comprehensive, individualized care plan in a comfortable and welcoming setting.
Comprehensive Evaluation
The program begins with a thorough evaluation to identify underlying conditions that may be contributing to weight gain. This evaluation helps tailor the treatment plan to the individual's specific needs.
Medication Optimization
Some medications can contribute to weight gain or make losing weight difficult. The program includes medication optimization to address this issue.
Behavioral Therapy
Licensed clinical psychologists with Baptist Behavioral Health can help you develop healthy coping strategies for mindful eating, provide behavior modification, and goal-setting support as you develop nutritional and exercise goals. Losing weight is a lifestyle change, and behavioral therapy is a crucial component of long-term success.
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Connection to Bariatric Surgery
For some patients, weight loss surgery is the best option for long-term success. Baptist Metabolic Weight Loss can discuss medical and surgical weight loss options with patients and mutually decide on the best approach.
Wellness Coaching
Losing weight is a lifestyle change. Wellness coaches partner with you to create lasting lifestyle changes.
Medical Director
Dr. Casey Bonaquist is the medical director of the Baptist Metabolic Weight Loss Clinic. She is a board-certified bariatrician, certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine since 2015.
Baptist Weight-Loss Center
When you or a loved one needs the best in weight-loss options, you can trust Baptist Weight-Loss Center. The center is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, leading-edge equipment, and unique patient amenities, including scales, beds, chairs, and apparel that help provide a comfortable healing environment, so you can best achieve your goals. From day one, they take time to listen to your questions and provide you and your loved ones with clear answers and options. The center is located on the new Baptist Hospital campus in Pensacola, with convenient ease of access for appointments and treatments. The weight management program offers dietary support through physician/nurse practitioner supervision.
Bariatric Surgery Options at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center (MBMC)
Baptist Nutrition and Bariatric Center offers two bariatric surgical options through Mississippi Baptist Medical Center (MBMC):
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- Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy
MBMC is accredited as a Comprehensive Center for bariatric surgery by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). This is the highest level of accreditation provided by MBSAQIP, which is a collaboration of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
Bariatric surgery reduces the size of your stomach and limits the number of calories you absorb. It prompts hormonal changes that reduce your hunger and appetite and helps you feel full faster and with fewer calories.
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Program
Baptist Health also offers patients the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS®) program to help them succeed following their weight-loss surgery procedure. ERAS® starts with pre-surgery medication to prevent pain and nausea and a special liquid diet that eliminates the need for a pre-surgery fast.
Baptist Health Weight-loss Surgery
Baptist Health Weight-loss Surgery is offered at Baptist Health South Miami Hospital. The program is accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) as a Comprehensive Center with Adolescent and Obesity Medicine Qualifications. Their weight-loss surgeons are pioneers in the field of robotic laparoscopic weight-loss surgery.
Robotic Laparoscopic Weight-Loss Surgery
Baptist Health specializes in robotic laparoscopic weight-loss surgery, which enables your surgeon to perform bariatric surgery by directing the robot’s movements from a control console in the operating room, but away from the operating table.
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Safety and Efficacy of Bariatric Surgery
According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, studies by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) show significant safety improvements in bariatric surgery. A government agency, the AHRQ reports the risk of death from weight-loss surgery as minimal - about 0.1 percent. Like any surgery, complications can occur. Bariatric surgery is not right for everyone. Each person must evaluate the benefits and risks and decide if he or she is prepared to make the necessary lifestyle changes after weight-loss surgery.
Qualifying for Bariatric Surgery
If you have a BMI of 40+ or a BMI of 35+ with an obesity-related disease, you may be a surgery candidate. To qualify for the adjustable gastric band, your BMI must be 35+ or 30+ with an obesity-related disease. If you have a history of failed diets and you are seeking weight-loss solutions, bariatric surgery may be your answer. South Miami Hospital is a designated Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence.
Surgical Options and Weight Loss Expectations
Once you qualify for the program, the bariatric surgeons will discuss your different surgical options. The amount of weight you lose and the speed at which you lose it depends on individual factors like the surgery you choose, your starting weight, and your physical condition at the time of your surgery.
Bariatric surgery dramatically reduces the amount of food you can comfortably eat. If you overeat after having weight-loss surgery, you may vomit. However, most bariatric surgery patients have no desire to overeat. Weight-loss surgery reduces the size of your stomach - you feel full sooner and stay full longer. Most patients don’t experience vomiting.
Long-Term Weight Loss and Health Benefits
Yes. However, most patients keep their weight off after surgery. Long-term studies (10-14 years) demonstrate that weight-loss surgery patients maintain a greater degree of weight loss than people who did not have surgery. Many patients discover that co-morbidities such as diabetes and hypertension disappear.
Lifestyle Changes and Dietary Guidelines After Surgery
Lifestyle changes are essential to maintaining a healthy weight. Your medical team will give you guidelines for foods you may eat and those you should avoid. Generally, you will be told to consume only clear liquids for the first week or so after surgery. During your second week, you may progress to skim milk and protein shakes. When you are able to eat regular food again, you should avoid sugary or greasy foods. Not only are these unhealthy choices, they tend to cause digestive upset for bariatric surgery patients.
Pregnancy After Bariatric Surgery
Yes, and in some cases, it is easier to get pregnant. Female patients are advised to wait at least two years after surgery before trying to become pregnant.
Consultation with a Surgeon
Your surgeon is your best source of information regarding weight-loss surgery. Please discuss any additional questions with him or her.
Adolescent Weight-Loss Services
Baptist Health South Florida provides weight-loss services to adolescents, ages 14-18. To register for one of the webinars, please call 305-271-9777.
Medical Weight Loss Program
The initial weight loss phase begins with a calorie reduction to induce weight loss and restart your metabolism. As you follow your customized plan, you’ll check in with your registered dietitian for 15-30 minutes on a weekly basis. These visits can be worked around your schedule and can be done Monday through Saturday. During this visit, your weight and body fat percentage will be taken, and you’ll discuss how the program is going for you. If you’re experiencing any issues such as hunger, bloating, or constipation, your plan will be adjusted to make you more comfortable. Women typically lose one pound per week during this phase, while men typically lose two pounds per week, though this can drastically vary based on your starting weight, body type, and lifestyle. After steadily losing weight for a period of time, members typically begin to stagnate. The length of this phase differs for each participant. For some, it could be 10 weeks; for others, it could be a year.
Losing a significant amount of weight is a personal journey, and it can feel challenging to navigate alone. If traditional diets and exercise plans haven’t worked for you, it’s important to know you still have options. Medical weight loss is a nonsurgical treatment program guided by a member of our clinical team, such as a physician or nurse practitioner.
Components of the Medical Weight Loss Program
- Follow-up visits: You come back to meet with us regularly. This may be weekly or monthly. During these visits, we measure your progress and help you set new goals.
- Medication: If you are not seeing results, we may prescribe medications to help curb your appetite.
- Education and support: During every office visit, we give you tips and information to help you stay motivated and take control of your weight loss journey. You may learn about new foods, portion control, and goal setting.
- Support every step of the way: Together, we help you implement the lifestyle changes needed to achieve and maintain your goals.
Once you decide to enroll in the medical weight loss program, you’ll participate in a medical exam and regular appointments with a medical doctor or APRN. To learn more about our medical weight loss program, please contact us at: 855-960-0323.
Team Approach at Baptist Weight-Loss Center
The Baptist Weight-Loss Center provides a team approach and brings together a range of services to support and assist people undergoing weight-loss surgery.
Bariatric Surgeons at Baptist Health
Baptist Health employs skilled and experienced bariatric surgeons:
- Dr. Gridley is a board-certified, fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon who has performed more than 1,000 bariatric surgeries throughout his career. He is skilled in advanced laparoscopic, bariatric, endoscopic, and robotic surgery.
- Dr. Cassiano is a board-certified, fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon with knowledge and experience in advanced laparoscopic surgery, including endoscopy. He obtained his medical degree from Florida State University College of Medicine in Tallahassee, FL. He completed his general surgery internship at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC and his bariatric and minimally invasive surgery fellowship at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, RI.
Baptist Health Bariatric Center-Little Rock
At Baptist Health Bariatric Center, your safety and well-being are our top priority. Our experienced providers, surgeons, and care team will guide your journey to long-term weight loss. We offer surgical and non-surgical options that are backed by the resources of the state’s most trusted healthcare system. Have questions about our bariatric services? Call us at (501) 202-4477.
We perform the safest methods of surgery by the most experienced surgeons. Baptist Health Bariatric Center-Little Rock’s patient outcomes speak volumes about our quality. On average, Baptist Health Bariatric Center-Little Rock helps over 500 people lose weight and improve their health with weight loss surgery every year. Our quality metrics confirm patient success and drastically improved overall health.
Being overweight affects a person’s everyday lifestyle. Baptist Health’s surgical weight loss solutions have contributed to several benefits for patients as a whole. 48% of patients were no longer taking blood pressure medications.
Accreditation
Selecting the right bariatric center with the right surgical team is important to ensure your best results, and that's just what you'll find that at the Baptist Center for Bariatric and Reflux Surgery. To become accredited, a facility undergoes a rigorous process of evaluations to ensure their level of quality across safety, training, follow-up, and surgical volume standards.
Patient Success Stories
Others have done this, and so can you! They've been in your same position, with several failed attempts at weight loss and contemplating bariatric surgery.
- Years of diet and lifestyle changes failed to provide the weight loss Lane needed to reclaim her health.
- This corporate pilot didn’t let his weight bring him down.
- WATCH: Katie's Story, 13 years post-surgery Katie Cox struggled with weight loss for years, gaining more despite diets and workouts. At 323 pounds, she chose sleeve gastrectomy after learning about bariatric surgery at Baptist Health. With support from the Baptist Center for Bariatric Surgery, she adopted healthier habits and lost 147 pounds. An entire team is here to help you through this with care and resources.
- Sawyer was the very first patient in the United States to undergo a procedure using new robotic technology.
- Dr. Lane’s dreams were on hold - travel, exercise and hobbies were impossible due to her excess weight. Years of diet, exercise and lifestyle changes failed to provide the weight loss she needed to reclaim her health.
- After gastric sleeve surgery, Jason Smith has lost 130 pounds! Jason shared: "I would recommend this surgery to anyone who is on the fence. I sat on the fence for three years and I wish I could get that time back. I feel so much better that words cannot even describe the difference from even 60 pounds ago.
- Congratulations to Al Ciolkosz who has lost over 80 pounds in just 10 months! Al had life-changing gastric sleeve surgery and could not be happier with the results. Al shared: "Dr. Morgenthal and the Baptist Bariatrics team have been incredible.
- Gasping for air while going for a walk is a thing of the past for Skip Dierking.