The Bariatric Clinic at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre is doubling its capacity to help Albertans who are battling obesity.
The clinic can now serve about 240 patients a year, up from 120 last year.
The clinic, which helps patients shed pounds and/or prepare for bariatric surgery, recruited two new bariatric surgeons, Dr. Sean Gregg and Dr. Carlos Menezes, who joined surgeon Dr. Lawrence Farries.
Recently, bariatrics relocated to a bigger space. Formerly located in the Medical Dental Building across the street from the hospital, bariatrics is now on the second floor of the hospital’s south complex.
Patient Amanda Priddell, 32, of Red Deer, said the Bariatric Clinic gave her back her life, and much more.
“Before working with staff and following the program, having a baby wasn’t a possibility for me. Three months ago, I had a little girl,” said Priddell, who lost 180 pounds (80 kg) over 24 months.
“The program has truly been life-altering.”
The clinic’s new space has a larger waiting room and interview rooms to better accommodate patients in wheelchairs and their families; furnishings designed for larger patients; and interview rooms have improved soundproofing.
The clinic is working towards performing 125 bariatric surgeries next year, up from 100 surgeries this year.
Weight loss surgeries performed include laparoscopic adjustable gastric band and gastric bypass. This year, the clinic also started performing sleeve gastrectomy, in which over two-thirds of the stomach is removed.
Patients must be referred to the clinic, be about 100 pounds (45 kg) overweight, and a non-smoker as smoking dramatically increase surgery risks.
Clinic co-ordinator Christine Farries said surgery is a huge commitment for patients.
“It’s not the easy way out,” Farries said.
But the transformation for patients is amazing, she said.
“I’ve been a nurse since 1994. It is the most rewarding job I’ve ever done. It totally changes people’s lives,” Farries said.
The Red Deer clinic has operated since 2008. In addition to surgery, staff help patients with weight-loss strategies like diet.
Last year, about 30 per cent of patients at the clinic, which serves all of Alberta, were from Central Alberta.
Throughout Alberta, Alberta Health Services has a bariatric clinic in Edmonton and Grande Prairie is getting a clinic. Services in Calgary and Medicine Hat will be expanded.
Obesity is a chronic disease that affects about one million Albertans, or about 25 per cent of the province’s population.
Red Deer’s new bariatric clinic space is part of the hospital’s ongoing $1.7-million building capacity project, which is expected to be completed next spring.
The Bariatric Clinic supports Alberta Health Service’s Obesity Initiative, launched in September to help Albertans manage weight issues in a planned and co-ordinated manner, as well as introduce a broad range of programs to help prevent obesity.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com
— copyright Red Deer Advocate