Establishing a high-quality, equitable adolescent bariatric surgery program

Despite mounting data on the effectiveness and safety of adolescent metabolic and bariatric surgery, few adolescent bariatric surgery centers exist relative to the growing number of patients in need of services. This is accompanied by a widening gap in access to care among patients of varying socioeconomic statuses and ethnic backgrounds. The patients most affected by adolescent obesity are those with the least amount of access due to multifactorial and complex barriers to treatment. It has never been more important to identify and address these issues as institutions pursue adolescent bariatric program development. Key areas of focus should include gathering appropriate data, garnering institutional commitment, and planning program infrastructure. This article reviews the steps necessary to developing an adolescent bariatric surgery program while ensuring that the program is as equitable as it is effective.