Western Missouri Medical Center’s bariatric program at Surgical Services of Warrensburg announced that it had received re-accreditation through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, which announced the accreditation has reached a new level of “Comprehensive Center,” according to a press release.

This level of accreditation lifts many of the current bariatric surgery participant restrictions previously placed on the program, according to the release. The program is now able to treat patients with complex disease diagnoses and has a wider age and BMI range for patients, up to the surgeon’s discretion.

This is a joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The accreditation speaks volumes of the commitment of WMMC to high-quality metabolic and bariatric surgical care, according to the release. The program’s original accreditation was received in March of 2015.

Patients seeking surgical weight loss treatment have a high-quality choice for receiving treatment at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality of care without the hassle of travel, according to the release.

The accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for severely obese patients. Robert Kenney, DO, specializes in minimally invasive surgical approaches.

To learn more about bariatric surgery, visit WMMC.com/bariatric.