Introducing a Bariatric Surgery Program at a Large Urban Safety Net Medical Center Serving a Primarily Hispanic...

Area of Science:

• Bariatric Surgery
• Health Equity
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Safety net hospitals serve diverse populations, yet few offer bariatric surgery.
• A bariatric surgery program was established at an urban safety net medical center.
• The center primarily serves a Hispanic population with high poverty rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the safety and feasibility of a bariatric surgery program at a safety net hospital.
• To evaluate the first-year outcomes of bariatric surgery in this underserved population.
• To provide a model for establishing similar programs in other safety net settings.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 153 patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (May 2017-Dec 2019).
• Analysis included patient demographics, comorbidities, preoperative habits, and perioperative outcomes.
• One-year outcomes assessed included percent total weight lost (%TWL) and comorbidity reduction.

Main Results:

• Average preoperative BMI was 47.9 kg/m², with 54% of patients having diabetes.
• High 1-year follow-up rate (94%) with no mortalities and low complication rates.
• Average 1-year %TWL was 22.8%, with significant reductions in hypertension and diabetes medication use (52% and 55%, respectively).

Conclusions:

• This study demonstrates the safety and feasibility of bariatric surgery in a safety net hospital setting.
• The program achieved acceptable weight loss and comorbidity improvement.
• Further research is needed on the influence of race, culture, and socioeconomic factors on outcomes in this population.