Doctors Hospital of Augusta was named among the top 101 hospitals in the nation for bariatric surgery by Money.com, in partnership with The Leapfrog Group. The hospitals that earned this distinction achieve Leapfrog's standards for safety.

Patients who have bariatric surgery performed at a hospital and by a surgeon that have more experience have better, more positive outcomes — including lower mortality rates, lower complication rates, and a shorter length of stay at the hospital.

“When patients choose Doctors Hospital of Augusta for their life-changing weight loss surgery, they receive world-class care,” said Brad Griffin, FACHE, Chief Operating Officer at Doctors Hospital. “Dr. Michael Blaney and Dr. Francisco Jacome, along with their exceptional team, deliver high quality, compassionate care every day in the communities we serve. Our team works closely with every single patient from pre-surgery to surgery to post-surgical follow up to ensure they receive the best care and support during their weight loss journey.” 

Hospitals on this list meet Leapfrog standards for the number of bariatric procedures performed at the hospital and by individual surgeons. The hospitals also use a safe surgery checklist, prevent healthcare-associated infections, and perform well on the bi-annual Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, which assigns a letter grade to all general acute care hospitals in the U.S. based on how well they protect patients from preventable harm.

"This new list features one-of-a-kind selections that gives readers an excellent look at one of the most difficult surgeries to perform," says Money's Executive Editor Mike Ayers. “We are proud to honor hospitals like Doctors Hospital of Augusta with this distinction.”

"Bariatric surgery is a complex procedure that over half a million people undergo annually across the world. Certain hospitals are safer than others for this procedure, and thanks to Money, patients have important data to make an informed decision," said The Leapfrog Group President and CEO Leah Binder.