Baptist Hospital Discounts Lap-Band Weight Loss Surgery by 25 Percent...

[MsJacquiiC]

Baptist Hospital Discounts Lap-Band Weight Loss Surgery by 25 Percent to Compete with Prices Offered

NASHVILLE, Tenn.
To compete with lower international pricing for Lap-Band weight loss surgery and the state of the economy today, the Metabolic Surgery Center at Baptist Hospital has created a?Lap-Band Wellness Stimulus Package.?

?This is a ?wellness stimulus? for a healthier lifestyle,? said Bernie Sherry... Self-pay patients receive both financial value and high quality care from an accredited Center of Excellence.?

The cost of the Lap-Band procedure has been reduced by 25 percent ? from $16,100 to $12,000 ? for self-pay patients only, who schedule Lap-Band weight loss surgery between now and January 31, 2010. For self-pay patients, paying for weight loss surgery can weigh heavily on the final decision to undergo the procedure.

The package includes the surgical procedure with no overnight stay or complications, as well as three months of Lap-Band adjustments and consultations with the center?s dieticians and exercise physiologists as needed. Financing options are available through CareCredit.

?This is a ?wellness stimulus? for a healthier lifestyle,? said Bernie Sherry, president and CEO of Baptist Hospital. ?The $12,000 Lap-Band fee is competitive with medical tourism travel rates. Medical tourism is gaining popularity as patients cross the border where costs of surgery are lower, yet there are potential dangers. By receiving treatment at Baptist Hospital, self-pay patients receive both financial value and high quality care from an accredited Center of Excellence.?

According to Dr. Charles Morton, medical director of the Metabolic Surgery Center, thousands of patients travel to Mexico each year for Lap-Band surgery. ?In some places, medical qualification standards for physicians and health care facilities are very different than they are in the United States and there?s no follow up care once the patient is back home.?

The Baptist Metabolic Surgery Center expects its Lap-Band Wellness Stimulus Package will draw patients from across the country and has developed travel packages with special rates on hotel and air travel.

In addition, some patients may be eligible for a tax deduction, as medical costs such as those associated with Lap-Band surgery are considered non-reimbursed medical expenses.

The Lap-Band, or laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, is a purely restrictive weight loss procedure that limits solid food intake by surgically inserting an inflatable band completely around the uppermost part of the stomach. This minimally-invasive and reversible procedure does not include cutting or stapling of the stomach and there is no bypassing of the intestines. Nearly all patients can go home the same day as the procedure.

?Lap-Band is one of the most common weight loss procedures done today and it?s successfully helping treat obesity for patients across the country,? said Dr. Morton.

Ideal candidates for Lap-Band surgery include patients who:

• Are at least 100 pounds overweight or have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher or at least a BMI of 35 with one or more obesity-related health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes.
• Are at least 18 to 65 years old.
• Have made serious attempts to lose weight and have had only short-term success.
• Are prepared to make substantial changes in eating habits and lifestyle.

The Metabolic Surgery Center at Baptist Hospital is one of the most comprehensive weight loss surgery programs in the country, providing Lap-Band, gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and duodenal switch, which correct metabolic deficiencies. The center and its surgeons are designated as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

For more information about the Lap-Band Wellness Stimulus Package, call (615) 284-2400 or visit + Metabolic Surgery Center +. The Metabolic Surgery Center at 2021 Church Street, Suite 104, in Nashville, Tenn.



[ Source: Metabolic Surgery Center at Baptist Hospital ]

Bariatrics The branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity. The term bariatrics was created around 1965, from the Greek root baro ("weight," as in barometer), suffix -iatr ("treatment," as in pediatrics), and suffix -ic ("pertaining to"). Besides the pharmacotherapy of obesity, it is concerned with obesity surgery.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass A type of gastric bypass procedure which combines restrictive and malabsorption techniques - meaning, it reduces the amount of food a patient can comfortably eat (restriction), and also reduces the amount of calories that can be digested in the small intestine (malabsorption). This combination of bariatric methods leads to greater weight loss and the roux-en-y procedure is seen as one of the best ways to treat clinically severe obesity. See WLS Videos for animated surgery technique.

Laparoscopy Laparoscopic surgery, also called minimally invasive surgery is a modern surgical technique in which operations in the abdomen are performed through small incisions as compared to larger incisions needed in open surgical procedures. Laparoscopic surgery belongs to the broader field of endoscopy. The key element in laparoscopic surgery is the use of a laparoscope: a telescopic rod lens system, that is usually connected to a video camera. Also attached is a fiber optic cable system connected to a 'cold' light source (halogen or xenon), to illuminate the operative field, inserted through a 5 mm or 10 mm Trocar to view the operative field. The abdomen is usually insufflated with carbon dioxide gas to create a working and viewing space. The abdomen is essentially blown up like a balloon (insufflated), elevating the abdominal wall above the internal organs like a dome. The gas used is CO2, which is common to the human body and can be absorbed by tissue and removed by the respiratory system.

Duodenal Switch Also known as Bilio-Pancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch or the DS, the Duodenal Switch is a weight loss surgery that alters the gastrointestinal tract with two approaches: a restrictive process and the malabsorptive process. See WLS Videos for animated surgery technique.

Obesity Obesity results from the excessive accumulation of fat that exceeds the body's skeletal and physical standards. Obesity has been defined as a weight more than 20% above what is considered normal according to standard age, height, and weight tables, or by a complex formula known as the body mass index. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase in 20 percent or more above your ideal body weight is the point at which excess weight becomes a health risk. CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE JOURNEY BMI CALCULATOR!

Center of Excellence A Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence is a bariatric program that has been designated a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence (COE) by the Surgical Review Corporation, a nonprofit corporation that: Establishes guidelines for assessing bariatric programs Evaluates bariatric programs to ensure they meet certain standards for recognition as a COE A bariatric program that has been designated a COE has met strict criteria and delivers bariatric care that meets high standards. Read more about Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence...

Gastric Banding Surgery The adjustable gastric banding is a restrictive surgical procedure during which a silicone band is placed around the stomach, creating a small pouch. The band includes a balloon that is filled with a nontoxic fluid, most commonly a saline solution; periodic adjustments are performed by a healthcare professional who accesses the balloon via a subcutaneous port. Gastric band placement, unlike malabsorptive weight loss surgery (e.g. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, Biliopancreatic Diversion, and Duodenal Switch), does not cut or remove any part of the digestive system. See WLS Videos for animated surgery technique.

Metabolism All of the processes that occur in the body that turn the food you eat into energy your body can use. Exercise, food, and environmental temperature influence metabolism.

[chrisbandster]

Awesome, the Lap-Band tends to run about $20,000 less than RNY anyway, but in the US for private pay patients, $16K seems to be the going rate. This is a positive move in the right direction. Hopefully, they are also promoting the Band. My surgery all told 5 years ago was $30K that did not include any of the pre-op testing with 1 night in the hospital.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass A type of gastric bypass procedure which combines restrictive and malabsorption techniques - meaning, it reduces the amount of food a patient can comfortably eat (restriction), and also reduces the amount of calories that can be digested in the small intestine (malabsorption). This combination of bariatric methods leads to greater weight loss and the roux-en-y procedure is seen as one of the best ways to treat clinically severe obesity. See WLS Videos for animated surgery technique.

Gastric Banding Surgery The adjustable gastric banding is a restrictive surgical procedure during which a silicone band is placed around the stomach, creating a small pouch. The band includes a balloon that is filled with a nontoxic fluid, most commonly a saline solution; periodic adjustments are performed by a healthcare professional who accesses the balloon via a subcutaneous port. Gastric band placement, unlike malabsorptive weight loss surgery (e.g. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, Biliopancreatic Diversion, and Duodenal Switch), does not cut or remove any part of the digestive system. See WLS Videos for animated surgery technique.

[MsJacquiiC]

I agree = definitely a move in the right direction.