Bariatric surgery
Helping you succeed in your weight-loss journey.
Live your best (and healthiest) life
Geisinger’s weight-loss specialists can help you through your weight-loss journey so you can live your fullest life.
Bariatric surgery requires an ongoing commitment to lifestyle changes, both before and after surgery. At Geisinger, you are the center of your program — and you’re backed by an entire team. Our approach means you get a personalized program supported by obesity medicine physicians, dietitians and specially-trained nurses. Consider us your weight-loss partners for life.
Surgery is just one of the tools we offer as part of your treatment plan — we’ll also help you lose weight over the course of your lifetime through nutrition and education. If bariatric surgery is a part of your treatment plan, your care team will review your options to determine the procedure that will best meet your needs and goals.
Bariatric surgery requirements
Weight loss surgery may be right for you if:
- You’re 80 to 100 pounds overweight
- Your body mass index (BMI) is 35 or higher
- Your BMI is 35 or higher with at least one obesity-related health condition such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure or diabetes
What types of bariatric surgeries are available to me?
Our bariatric surgical team specializes in minimally invasive surgery, which involves small incisions using tiny instruments and a camera to guide the procedure. Smaller incisions mean you’ll have less scarring, reduced pain, fewer complications and a quicker recovery.
We offer the following bariatric surgeries:
In a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, a surgeon creates a stomach pouch that causes the food to go straight from the pouch to the small intestine.
| Geisinger Community Medical Center | Geisinger Medical Center |
|
| Number of surgeries performed 2020-2022 |
378 | 876 |
| Surgical site infection | 0.6% | 0.79% |
| Bleeding | 1.5% | 1.6% |
| Leak | 1.2% | 0.34% |
| Related readmissions | 3.2% | 5.25% |
| Length of stay | 1.5 days | 1.5 days |
| Geisinger Community Medical Center | Geisinger Medical Center | |
| Number of surgeries performed 2020-2022 |
72 | 176 |
| Surgical site infection | 0% | 1.14% |
| Bleeding | 0% | 1.7% |
| Leak | 0% | 1.14% |
| Related readmissions | 0% | 2.27% |
| Length of stay | 1.4 days | 1.4 days |
Bariatric surgery at Geisinger
Our bariatric care team consults research and top specialists to develop the safest, most effective ways to perform procedures. Geisinger’s bariatric program is nationally accredited through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). This designation means we meet strict standards for high quality bariatric care.
Our team approach makes all the difference when you’re trying to lose weight, and we provide personalized education and support to help you progress toward your weight-loss goals. We offer support groups, nutritional counseling and medical care to help you succeed in your weight-loss journey.
Geisinger’s weight-loss surgery program is built around ProvenCare®. This program is designed to help patients recover faster and return home sooner after surgery — all without the use of opioids.
