Hospital to unveil new initiatives to improve bariatric care
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MEDICINE HAT, AB — Alberta Health Services are launching a new initiative aiming at making hospitals more helpful for bariatric patients.
The Medicine Hat Regional Hospital is hosting a launch event for the Bariatric-Friendly Health Initiative on Wednesday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Ambulatory Care Building. The goal, according to a news release, is to help improve the experience at health facilities for those who have a body weight greater than 250 pounds or have identified bariatric needs, such as mobility assistance.
The event is being hosted by AHS, the Medicine Hat and District Health Foundation and the Diabetes, Obesity and Nutrition Strategic Clinical Network.
According to AHS, approximately one in three patients hospitalized in Alberta are obese, and are staying in the hospital longer than non-obese patients. A release says patients with obesity are in the hospital for a variety of reasons, not just for bariatric surgery, and are at a higher risk for injury and complications due to inadequate equipment, facility design or staff competencies in bariatric care.
