Bariatric Times - December 2008 - (Page 26)

26 Interview Bariatric Times • December 2008 An Interview with Georgeann Mallory, RD Continued from page 1 Tell us about the history of the society. Many years ago, a small group of surgeons with an interest in bariatric surgery met annually at the University of Iowa campus for the Bariatric Surgery Colloquium led by Dr. Edward Mason. In June 1983, the registrants voted to form the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS), and thus began our official journey to educate on best practices for optimal outcomes and advocate for patient access to a life-saving treatment. Dr. Edward Mason, considered the father of gastric bypass surgery, was the first president of the ASBS. In an effort to represent all of its membership, the presidency rotates each year between an academic and private practice surgeon to serve as president. The ASMBS’s Integrated Health Section (formerly the Allied Health Committee) also began with a small group of interested professionals. Our first official meeting was a roundtable discussion with only about 15 members. We had a fantastic exchange of information. What was interesting about that group is that it was very representative of the membership today—there were nurses, dietitians, a psychologist, a program director, an insurance specialist, and an operating room technician. Thanks to the remarkable leadership of the chairs who followed, the Integrated Health Section now has over 1,300 members and conducts outstanding programs throughout the year. Two years ago, the members of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery voted to change the society’s name to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery to better reflect the fact that surgery goes far beyond weight loss and to recognize surgery’s significant effect on metabolic disease, particularly type 2 diabetes, and other comorbid conditions. This year, we celebrated our 25th Annual Meeting. It was more than 10 times the size of our first one in 1983. The annual conference remains the pre-eminent program of the ASMBS and the primary source for leading-edge research and pertinent information on bariatric surgery. It is also a place where great collegial friendships are formed and a spirit of camaraderie fosters interesting discussions and debate. This year, we had the special opportunity to participate in the Walk from Obesity on Capitol Hill that was hosted by the ASMBS Foundation, formed in 1997, and the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). It was a huge success and great way to advocate for our patients. The meaningful events and cornerstones discussed here further create a more complete picture of our history. What are the most meaningful events that you remember as cornerstones of this field’s history? Through the years, new techniques and devices have brought great change and growth to the field. When Drs. Wittgrove and Clark performed the first laparoscopic gastric bypass, it changed the face of bariatric surgery. The number of surgeries performed around the country grew tremendously, as did the membership of the ASMBS. The FDA approval of the laparoscopic adjustable band in 2001 also brought more attention and patient interest to the field. I remember the excitement of the day we hit 1,000 members. Today, we have over 3,300 members. But we are not about numbers; we are about helping people. With the rapid growth of the society came concern about a potential decline in quality. To help assure safety and quality, in 2004 the ASMBS initiated a Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence (BSCOE) program and assisted in the formation a separate organization, the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), to administer the program. Today, there are 363 facilities and 620 surgeons throughout the United States that are an ASMBS BSCOE. In 2005, the ASMBS began to publish its own journal, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases (SOARD). We achieved citation status with Index Medicus within 2.5 years after the start publication and Current Contents this year. SOARD is published every other month and has had very intensive critical reviews with stringent criteria for publication of original research, case reports, and review studies. A very important event in our history was adding the word metabolic to our name. It may only be one word, but that one word change is a reflection of the expanding role of the organization and emphasizes bariatric surgery’s effect on metabolic disease. Recently, CBS’s 60 Minutes did an entire segment on the beneficial effects of bariatric surgery on type 2 diabetes, featuring several ASMBS members and their patients. Just a few years ago, no one could have imagined such a story taking place. The ASMBS and bariatric and metabolic surgery have come a long way. Serving as the first chair of the Allied Health Committee and being instrumental in formalizing this group within the society was very meaningful to me personally. Later, the Allied Health Committee further developed into a section of the ASMBS, became more formalized with elected officers, and continued to develop its programs. This year, the Allied Health Committee Past ASMBS Presidents (left to right): Dr. S. Ross Fox, Dr. Latham Flanagan, Dr. Harvey Surgerman, Dr. Henry Buchwald, Dr. Mervyn Deitel, Dr. Edward Mason, Dr. Alex Macgregor, Dr. Kenneth MacDonald, Dr. Alan Wittgrove, Dr. Robert Brolin, Dr. Kenneth Jones, Dr. George Cowan, Dr. J. Pat O’Leary Clockwise from left at a past ASMBS Dinner Dance: Dr. Otto Willbanks, Dr. MAL Fobi, Dr. Ed Mason, and Dr. Alex MacGregor

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Bariatric Times - December 2008

Bariatric Times - December 2008 Table of Contents Patient Management Perspective Diabetes Perspective Interview: ASMBS’s Georgeann Mallory Editorial Message Editorial Board Body Contouring Perspective Meeting Perspective Journal Watch Advertiser Index News & Trends

Bariatric Times - December 2008

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