Tag Archives: Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare

On Friday, officials announced that the Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare Bariatric Program had earned national accreditation for its quality standards in bariatric patient care.

“The Las Palmas Del Sol Bariatric Program’s main goal is to help individuals overcome the disease of obesity and get on track to living the healthiest lifestyle possible,” Jorge Acosta, M.D., medical director of the Las Palmas Del Sol Bariatric Program, said. “The recent accreditation affirms the bariatric program’s commitment to the highest level of patient support and care throughout their weight loss experience.”

The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) awards accreditation to healthcare organizations, like Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare, which meet all criteria for its national quality standards.

The MBSAQIP Standards ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multidisciplinary program—not just a surgical procedure—which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. The accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for their severely obese patients.

Roughly 15.5 million people in the U.S. suffer from severe obesity, according to the National Institutes of Health. Obesity increases the risks of morbidity and mortality because of related diseases and conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, among others.

Metabolic and bariatric surgical procedures have proven to be effective in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to severe obesity.

“We know that weight loss surgeries and procedures can be intimidating. The Las Palmas Del Sol Bariatric Program is equipped with well-trained staff, state-of-the-art technology and quality resources to support weight loss patients with the care they deserve,” David Shimp, chief executive officer of Del Sol Medical Center, said. “Achieving accreditation from the MBSAQIP affirms the bariatric program’s dedication to delivering high-quality experiences for our weight loss patients in El Paso and surrounding communities.”

To earn the MBSAQIP designation, the Las Palmas Del Sol Bariatric Program met essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with obesity.

The program also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement.

The standards are specified in the MBSAQIP Resources for Optimal Care of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Patient 2016, published by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

For more information on the Las Palmas Del Sol Bariatric Program, please visit the program’s website

Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare, which includes Las Palmas Medical Center and Del Sol Medical Center, has announced the inauguration of its internal medicine graduate medical education (GME) program.

Internal medicine, also known as general medicine, is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases.

“We are thrilled to implement this graduate program that further educates residents in internal medicine and helps prepare them to provide a high level of care to El Pasoans,” Don Karl, chief executive officer of Las Palmas Medical Center, said. “Residents in this GME program will engage in valuable hands-on and preceptor training that will be beneficial throughout their careers as physicians.”

Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare invested in the creation of its internal medicine GME program to bring more physicians with the most up-to-date medical school education to El Paso, and train them to better serve the needs of the growing local community.

All residents may be eligible to pursue sub-specialty training in areas such as cardiology, nephrology, gastroenterology and other high-demand health areas.

“These carefully-selected residents are committed to providing the highest quality of care for their patients here in El Paso,” David Shimp, chief executive officer of Del Sol Medical Center, said. “We’re proud to offer this program to new medical school graduates and have them learn from our excellent physicians and staff at Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare.”

Program leadership includes three board-certified physicians. Dr. Pedro Blandon, a nephrologist and internist, serves as the program director, and Dr. Luis Martin and Dr. Legesse Tebeje, both internal medicine specialists, serve as the program’s core faculty members. Affiliated subspecialists with Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare will also serve as teaching faculty.

The first cohort of the internal medicine GME program, which started on July 9 for the 2018-2019 year, consists of 15 residents.