Surgical Weight Loss

Corewell Health™ listed on Money’s first-ever Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery List

Grand Rapids, Mich., February 23, 2023 – Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital and Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital, both part of Corewell Health, are included as two of only 101 hospitals in the U.S. on Money.com’s first-ever Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery list.

Money.com, in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, announced the Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery list in January 2023. The 101 hospitals that earned this distinction achieve Leapfrog’s standards for safety, including performing a high enough number of the procedures to give patients the best odds of a good outcome, and keeping patients safe from errors, infections, and complications.

“Our teams work closely with patients to ensure they are ready for this life-changing surgery,” said Jon Schram, MD, medical director of bariatric surgery, Corewell Health in West Michigan. “From pre-surgery to surgery and post-surgical follow up, we are here and ready to support our patients every step of the way along their weight loss journey.”

Studies show that the experience of both the hospital personnel involved in the procedure and recovery, as well as the surgeon, help keep patients safer during and after this high-risk surgery. Hospitals on this prestigious list meet Leapfrog standards for the number of bariatric procedures performed at the hospital and by individual surgeons. The hospitals also utilize 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 of honor hospitals like Blodgett and Zeeland hospitals with this distinction.”

Visit the Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery here and an in-depth look at bariatric surgery in 2023 here. For the complete methodology, click here.

Patients who have bariatric surgery for weight loss 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.

About Corewell Health™

People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 22 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.2 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org

About Money

Money has a 50-year legacy of guiding people to financial victories with up-to-date information, education, and tools. Money, a digital platform, helps create richer lives for everyone—in every sense of the word. Signature franchises include a bevy of Best-In categories such as Best Places to Live, Best Crypto Exchanges, Best Mortgage Lenders, Best Life Insurance, Best Auto Insurance, Best VA Loans, Best Homeowner Insurance, Best High-Yield Savings Accounts, Best Credit Cards, Best Colleges, Best Student Loans, and Best Student Loan Refinance Companies, with an aim to improve your finances and promote your well-being. For more information, visit Money.com.

About The Leapfrog Group

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is an independent national nonprofit with a mission of giant leaps for patient safety. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. For more, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.

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Meredith Schrotenboer                                            Tim Breed

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meredith.schrotenboer@corewellhealth.org            timothy.breed@corewellhealth.org

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