ST. PAUL, Minn., July 6 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthEast Bariatric Care is now offering additional services for the treatment of obesity and morbid obesity. The program will expand its services to include the laparoscopic Roux en Y gastric bypass, the laparoscopic adjustable band, and the duodenal switch; as well as a medical model for the non-surgical treatment of obesity. HealthEast Bariatric Care is the first program in St. Paul to offer laparoscopic Roux en Y gastric bypass surgery.
Michael Schwartz, MD; Crystal Schlosser, MD; Raymond Drew, MD; and Edmund Chute, MD will join Michael Koeplin, MD; Barbara Schmidt, MD; and Ben Suhr, MD to provide these additional services through HealthEast Bariatric Care.
“We’re excited to now offer a variety of options for patients who suffer from the disease of obesity,” says Denice Hinrichs, Director of HealthEast Bariatric Care. “We take pride in knowing that we help our patients transform their lives. Being able to offer our patients’ more treatment options is the best way to serve their needs.”
The program will also add services for the medical management of obesity without surgery. The medical management program is intended for adults whose body mass index (BMI) is 30 or greater and have health problems related to obesity such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and joint problems. Patients must be referred by a primary care physician, and are intensively managed by a team that includes a physician, psychologist, clinical nutritionist, physical therapist and clinical pharmacologist. David Frenz, MD, will oversee the medical management services.
“Bariatric surgery should be considered as the last option for the treatment of obesity. By working with patients before they reach the devastating phases of morbid obesity and the related health crises, we are helping them take control and learn how to manage their weight based on their individual situation,” says Dr. Frenz.
According to the American Obesity Association, approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million obese, and 9 million severely obese. Obesity is a complex, multi-factorial chronic disease involving environmental (social and cultural), genetic, physiologic, metabolic, behavioral and psychological components. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it is the seventh leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.
HealthEast Care System
HealthEast Care System is a community-focused, non-profit health care system that provides a full spectrum of family health services. Hospitals include St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. John’s Hospital, Woodwinds Health Campus and Bethesda Rehabilitation Hospital. Other services include clinics, rehabilitation facilities, hospice, home care, outpatient surgery centers and a variety of other health facilities and programs. HealthEast has approximately 6,500 employees and has more than 1,300 physicians on staff.
HealthEast Care System
CONTACT: Ginger Buxa Plumbo of HealthEast Public Relations,+1-651-326-3590, gabuxa@healtheast.org
