The Bariatric surgery standards for candidate qualifications are set by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons (ASBS).  In order to qualify for surgery there are a number of criteria that need to be met.

The first and foremost is defined as your Body mass index (BMI).  Your BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and then multiplying by 703. The result equals your BMI.

In order to be a candidate for surgery, you must present with a BMI exceeding 40 regardless of the presence of other medical conditions OR a BMI between 35 and 40 and also have at least one significant co-morbidity such as: serious cardiopulmonary problems, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease or obstructive sleep apnea. Other possible indications for patients with BMI’s between 35 and 40 include: obesity induced physical problems interfering with lifestyle (i.e. joint disease) treatable but for the obesity and/or body size problem precluding or severely interfering with social life, employment, family function or ambulation. Any BMI less than 35 is not considered a candidate for weight loss surgery.  Your insurance policy dictates the criteria needed to obtain pre-authorization; the list below is for all of our surgical weight loss patients.

In addition to your BMI score, you must also:

• Be at least 18 years old to 60 years old (with some exceptions)
• Have a lifelong commitment to lifestyle changes
• Have attempted non surgical methods of weight loss
• Understand and accept the operative risks
• Be healthy enough to undergo surgery
• Want to lose weight and succeed
• Have realistic expectations and are motivated
• Be willing to follow our program advice and directives
• Have a lifetime commitment to long term follow-up care
• Attend monthly support group meetings

All patients are considered for surgery on an individual basis and our program is designed and specifically tailored around your personal needs.  There is no cookie-cutter, out-of -the-box program here!  You will be evaluated one-on-one with one of our program surgeons to determine if you are a candidate for surgery and the type of surgery that may work best for you.