Home > Risk Management & Patient Safety > Online CME Activities > Bariatric Surgery: Do the Risks Outweigh the Benefits
While some can maintain a healthy lifestyle and loose weight by modifying food intake and exercising regularly; others, must take more drastic actions in order to have a normal quality of life or in some cases in order to save their lives.
Obesity at its worse is the latest national epidemic. Childhood and adult obesity rates have increased dramatically over the last few decades, prompting a rise in co-morbidities such as diabetes,
hypertension and heart disease. Particularly for patients, where no surgical weight loss programs have been ineffective, weight loss surgery has been successful, but it also carries significant risks.
Bariatric surgeons and patients should understand these risks and participate fully in a high-quality bariatric counseling program prior to, during and post surgery and agree to a lifetime of follow-up care and treatment to ensure the best possible outcome.
The following CME course will familiarize you with the risks surgeons face undertaking bariatric surgeries and the benefits to your patients. 0.5 CME’s* will be awarded upon completion of this course.
* CME credit for this test can only be given to current MAG Mutual insureds
At the conclusion of this activity physicians should be able to:
- Understand some of the major short and long term risks associated with each type of surgery.
- Understand the essentials of screening candidates for bariatric surgery.
- Appreciate the importance of lifetime bariatric patient surveillance.
- Understand the risk management implications illustrated by the three closed claims abstracts.
Georgette Samaritan
Senior Risk Management & Patient Safety Consultant
MAG Mutual Insurance Company
Atlanta, Georgia
At the end of this course, you well be given a test on the material to earn CME credits. Completed tests are electronically submitted to MAG Mutual by using the "Submit" button. Your test form will be electronically scored and the results immediately displayed on your screen. A passing score is 80% or above. If you achieve a passing score, a certificate of completion will be mailed to the address you have provided.. You must use a computer that supports either Internet Explorer (Version 3.0 or higher), Netscape Navigator (Version 3.0 or higher) or Mozilla Firefox (Version 2.0 or higher) to take this test online. If you wish to take a written version of this test, please contact us. You must complete the evaluation at the end of the test before credit can be awarded.
(Please note: CME credit for this test can only be given to our insureds)
CME faculty are required to disclose to the audience any commercial relationships that may create or may be perceived as creating a potential conflict of interest with the material being presented or discussed. This disclosure does not reflect on the quality of the activity, but allows participants to make informed judgements regarding program content. The above faculty has an affiliation/financial interest as follows:
Georgette Samaritan, RN, BSN, Senior Risk Management & Patient Safety Consultant, MAG Mutual Insurance Company
Mark Fusco, MD -- MAG Mutual Medical Liability Insured
Date of Original Release: March 25, 2009
Termination Date: March 25, 2012
MAG Mutual Insurance Company is accredited by the Medical Association of Georgia to offer continuing medical education to physicians.
MAG Mutual designates this educational activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 credits(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit
commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
For more information, email us.
