Surgeon/Physician Relationship

Locating a LAP-BAND^® System surgeon

One of the first steps in developing an obesity management program, is to locate and establish a relationship with a nearby bariatric practice offering the LAP-BAND^® System surgery.

Important factors to look for in selecting a bariatric practice include:

1. Is the practice certified as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence (BSCOE)?
2. What are the surgeons’ experience and qualifications?
3. Is the practice staffed and equipped to provide adequate patient support?

Join our network to access any of the 1,836 LAP-BAND^® System certified surgeons to help you and your patient determine if the LAP-BAND^® System is right for them.

1. Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence (BSCOE)

From 1998 to 2004, the total number of bariatric surgeries in the U.S. increased nine-fold from 13,386 to 121,055. The American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) identified the need to recognize the centers that were performing well and also the importance of helping surgeons and hospitals reach optimal levels of performance. The Surgical Review Corporation was formed as an independent, non-profit corporation and charged with implementing and administering the ASBS’s BSCOE program.³⁴

To be designated a BSCOE, a practice must meet strict requirements and must agree to share information on clinical pathways, protocols and outcomes data. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are requiring weight loss surgery facilities to meet similar standards in order to qualify for Medicare reimbursement.

2. Surgeon Qualifications

It is the policy of Allergan, Inc. to follow the surgeon selection and training guidelines based upon the ASBS and Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) joint document, "Guidelines for Surgical Treatment of Morbid Obesity."

The LAP-BAND^® System surgeon certification requires surgeons to have advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery experience. It also demands that they establish and maintain a multidisciplinary practice that provides adequate long-term support, including nutrition, exercise counseling, and psychological counseling.

Allergan, Inc. also requires that surgeons complete a LAP-BAND^® System workshop conducted by the company’s professional education team and that surgeons are proctored for initial procedures by experienced surgeons.

 3. Office Management

Another consideration in selecting a bariatric practice is the availability of a multidisciplinary treatment team, facility staffing, equipment, and administrative support.  Some practices offer computer programs to track patients and outcomes.

When evaluating a practice for patient referral, have someone from your staff obtain information regarding membership in provider panels, costs of surgery, and payment plans. Your patients are sure to ask these questions.