Individuals with morbid obesity have a significant impact on the healthcare system because of the chronic and relapsing nature of underlying co-morbidities. Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery has emerged as an effective treatment option, offering substantial weight loss and resolution/improvement of associated metabolic complications. However, owing to complex nature of obesity as a disease, the successful provision of bariatric service requires addressing various hurdles and actively involving community resources. This presentation highlights the challenges faced in bariatric surgery delivery, along with potential solutions and the role of community resources in driving development.
Yan Chai Hospital started providing surgical solutions to morbid obesity since 2016. Hurdles in service delivery are multifaceted and encompass several domains. First and foremost, there is a need to engage community resources into the pathway as hospital is not the most ideal place for life style intervention. Medical social collaboration is a new solution to establish a comprehensive support network for patients going through the bariatric journey. This approach addresses holistic wellness and enhances patient outcomes.
Another hurdle is public awareness regarding obesity as a disease per se. Many patients as well as clinicians are unaware of the benefits of bariatric and metabolic surgery or even hold misconceptions about the procedure. This can hinder access to bariatric service for those in need.
Our development of bariatric service focuses on multi-disciplinary care. Regular case conferences bring together surgeon, physician, anesthesiologist, dietician, physiotherapist and clinical psychologist can ensure standardized care and continuous quality improvement.
In conclusion, the provision of bariatric service faces several hurdles but with implementation of solutions like community engagement, public education and multi-disciplinary care, we can overcome these challenges and improve the health and well- being of individuals with morbid obesity.
