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If you are significantly overweight, you may be at risk for a wide variety of health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, breathing problems and depression, and you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one third of adults in America — more than 72 million people —are obese. If you have had trouble losing weight and/or keeping it off, surgical weight loss may be a solution. Considered one of the most effective and long-lasting treatments for morbid obesity and related illnesses, bariatric surgery may improve your health and quality of life.
Designated as an ASMBS Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence for bariatric surgery, the Bridges Center for Surgical Weight Management at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital provides a comprehensive program to help you achieve healthy, long-term weight loss. Our multidisciplinary weight management program features preoperative education, weight loss surgery, nutritional guidance and postoperative support — all designed to help you achieve and maintain your weight loss goals.
Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital is also designated as an Aetna Institute of Quality® Bariatric Surgery Facility and CIGNA 3 Star Quality Bariatric Center.
Are You a Candidate for Weight Loss Surgery?
Candidacy for weight loss surgery is determined by criteria published by the National Institutes of Health and is mostly based on an individual’s Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a mathematical measurement of a person’s weight in relation to their height, and is used to determine if a person is underweight, at a healthy weight, overweight or obese. Surgical candidates have a BMI of 40 or more, or a BMI of 35 to 39.9 with one or more co-morbidities. A BMI of 35-40 is typically equivalent to 80-100 pounds of extra weight. Check your BMI now with our free online BMI calculator.
The Bridges Center for Surgical Weight Management at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital accepts most health insurance plans. Many insurance companies have strict criteria for assessing bariatric surgery coverage. We are happy to help you determine if our program meets your insurance guidelines. To learn more about the Bridges program, please call us toll-free at 1-800-248-5553.
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