Patient Outcomes for Weight Loss Surgery

At Massachusetts General Hospital, we believe it's important to provide safe and effective care. The Weight Center and the Department of Surgery tracks many performance measures and compares them to national data including:

• Bariatric Surgery Case Volumes
• Patient Ratings of Bariatric Surgeons
• Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
• Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Bariatric Surgery Case Volumes

Mass General's bariatric surgery volumes greatly exceed the minimum to receive national accreditation, which is 125 when compared to the national average.

Bariatric programs that perform higher numbers of surgeries have better outcomes. Mass General performs a large number of bariatric surgery procedures.

The following chart shows the Bariatric Surgery Case Volumes from January to December 2019. Mass General performed 357 total cases. 237 is the national rate.

Mass General data: Massachusetts General Hospital
Data period: January - December 2019

Patient Ratings of Bariatric Surgeons

Patients give exceptionally high ratings to Mass General bariatric surgeons. Higher percentages are better.

Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) surveys ask patients to report on and evaluate their experiences with health care. In recent ratings, our surgeons have rated very high relative to the national average, compared to national patient ratings of all doctors.

The following chart shows the Patient Ratings of Bariatric Surgeons from January to December 2019. 84% of patients would rate Mass General doctors 9 out of 10. 80% is the national rate. 88% of patients would definitely recommend a Mass General doctor. 76% is the national rate.

Mass General and national data: Quality Data Management (QDM), CAHPS Clinician & Group Patient Survey
Data period: January - December 2019

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Outcomes

Patients can expect significant reductions in obesity-related conditions.

In addition to promoting weight loss, laparoscopic gastric-bypass surgery has enabled our patients to obtain significant health benefits. Within a year, many patients experience dramatic reductions in obesity-related conditions and have improved their overall health.

The following chart shows the Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Outcomes from January 2015 to December 2019.

Mass General data: Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSA-QIP)
Data period: January 2015 - December 2019

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Outcomes

Patients can expect to lose a large amount of their excess weight.

On average, our laparoscopic bypass patients have experienced substantial reduction in their excess weight as measured by their body mass index (BMI) in the year following surgery.

The following chart shows the Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Outcomes from January 2015 to December 2019. At Mass General, the average laparoscopic bypass patient experienced 51% weight loss after 6 months; 75% weight loss after one year; and 72% after two years, as compared to their weight before surgery.

Mass General data: Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSA-QIP)
Data period: January 2015 - December 2019

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Outcomes

The majority of Mass General's 30-day outcomes are at or better than the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSA-QIP) norms. Lower percentages are better.

At Mass General, patient safety is a priority. Our rates of complications from laparoscopic gastric bypass procedures are relatively low.

The following chart shows the Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Outcomes from July 2018 to June 2019. Following laparoscopic gastric bypass procedures, 2.6% is the Mass General rate for bleeding. 1.6% is the national rate. 0.0% is the Mass General rate for reoperation. 2.3% is the national rate. 5.3% is the Mass General rate for readmission. 5.9% is the national rate. 5.3% is the Mass General rate for any complication. 8.5% is the national rate. 0.0% is the Mass General rate for surgical infection. 1.3% is the national rate. 0.0% is the Mass General rate for intervention. 2.0% is the national rate. 0.0% is the Mass General rate for leak. 0.4% is the national rate.

Mass General data: Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSA-QIP)
Data period: July 2018 - June 2019

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Patients can expect to lose a large amount of their excess weight.

On average, our laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy patients have experienced substantial reductions in their excess weight, as measured by their body mass index (BMI) in the year following surgery.

The following chart shows the Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.from January 2015 to December 2019. Following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, Mass General patients on average experience a 44% reduction in weight after 6 months; a 54% reduction in weight after one year; and a 52% reduction in weight after two years, as compared to their weight before surgery.

Mass General data: Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSA-QIP)
Data period: January 2015 - December 2019

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Outcomes

Mass General's outcomes are comparable to the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSA-QIP) norms, given the high number of extremely complex patients we serve. Lower percentages are better.

At Mass General, patient safety is a priority. Our rates of complications from laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedures are relatively low.

The following chart shows the Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Outcomes from July 2018 to June 2019. Following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedures, 0.4% is the Mass General rate for bleeding. 0.7% is the national rate. 0.0% is the Mass General rate for reoperation. 0.9% is the national rate. 0.8% is the Mass General rate for readmission. 2.8% is the national rate. 2.1% is the Mass General rate for any complication. 3.8% is the national rate. 0.0% is the Mass General rate for surgical infection. 0.4% is the national rate. 0.0% is the Mass General rate for intervention. 0.7% is the national rate. 0.0% is the Mass General rate for leak. 0.2% is the national rate. The star symbol indicates that performance is statistically better than the benchmark.

   ★ Performance is statistically better than the benchmark
= Performance is statistically similar to the benchmark
   ▼ Performance is statistically worse than the benchmark

Mass General data: Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSA-QIP)
Data period: July 2018 - June 2019

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Outcomes

Patients can expect significant reductions in obesity-related conditions.

Within six months, many of our laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy patients have achieved dramatic reductions in obesity-related conditions and have improved their overall health.

The following chart shows the Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Outcomes from January 2015 to December 2019. Following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomym, 68% of patients eliminated/greatly reduced diabetes; 63% of patients after one year. 51% of patients eliminated/greatly reduced sleep apnea; 57% of patients after one year. 0% of patients eliminated/greatly reduced GERD; 0.0% of patients after one year. 34% of patients eliminated/greatly reduced hypertension; 39% of patients after one year. 15% of patients eliminated/greatly reduced hyperlipidemia; 21% of patients after one year. 68% of patients eliminated/greatly reduced one or more condition; 78% of patients after one year.

Mass General data: Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSA-QIP)
Data period: January 2015 - December 2019