Take the First Step to Healthier Living with Weight-Loss Surgery
Looking to live a healthier and longer life? If your weight has led to serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea and joint pain, our weight-loss surgery specialists at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown can help improve your quality of life. We use the latest surgical techniques and equipment to ensure safe and successful weight-loss surgery and deliver it with patient-focused care. We also provide the comprehensive support and education you need before, during, and after surgery to make sure you are as successful as possible in reaching your health and lifestyle goals.
Our team of experts at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown have more than 50 years of experience in weight-loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery. Our bariatric surgeons meet the stringent qualifications set forth by the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Bariatric surgeons are general surgeons who have additional training and expertise in surgical weight loss.
Weight-Loss Surgery is Life Saving Surgery
Obesity and being overweight are linked to a number of other health-related problems. Most people seeking surgical weight loss likely have at least one obesity-related health issue (comorbidities). Weight-loss surgery could significantly reduce, if not eliminate, these health issues altogether. Not only does this lead to a longer, happier life, but it saves a lot of money long-term. Some examples of the benefits of weight-loss surgery include:
- Diabetes remission leads to freedom from checking your blood sugar and taking medicines like insulin
- Reduced blood pressure means no longer taking daily medication
- Sleep apnea goes away which means no longer wearing a CPAP machine
- Reduction or elimination of joint or back pain leads to a slowdown of arthritic damage
For some patients, particularly those who have morbid obesity—simply NOT having the surgery can increase the risk of death from obesity-related illnesses like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and more.
Accolades & Accreditations
Our medical reputation and patient-centered care at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown continue to be recognized. We received Healthgrades’ 2022 America’s 100 Best Hospitals Award™ for two years in a row. This places Holy Cross among the top 2% of all hospitals for clinical care and patient outcomes across treatment of the most common conditions and procedures. Holy Cross is one of only five hospitals in Maryland to be recognized as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals, and the only recipient in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown are accredited as Comprehensive Centers under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). This is a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) to advance safe and high-quality care for bariatric surgery patients. Accredited programs must demonstrate surgeon leadership and a multidisciplinary approach to weight-loss surgery, report outcomes to a national database, and engage in quality improvement initiatives.
This MBSAQIP accreditation recognizes Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown’s uncompromising dedication to providing quality care to patients.
Our Weight-Loss Surgeons
Bariatric surgeons are general surgeons who have additional training and expertise in surgical weight loss. Our board-certified surgeons specialize in minimally invasive robotic and laparoscopic surgery, which means they use specialized instruments to make very small incisions during surgery. This approach results in less pain, a shorter recovery and fewer complications for patients than traditional surgery with larger incisions.
Our experienced weight-loss surgery team includes a full range of specialty physicians experienced in bariatric surgery, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, interventional radiologists, dieticians, pharmacists, nurses and social workers.
Even if you ultimately choose not to pursue weight-loss surgery, our bariatric surgeons are uniquely suited to help patients with obesity with general surgical issues that affect the abdomen, including gallbladder removal and repairing hiatal or abdominal wall hernias.
To learn more about weight-loss surgery at Holy Cross Health call the program coordinators. The program coordinator at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring can be reached at mcdona@holycrosshealth.org. The program coordinator at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital can be reached at Elizabeth.Regan@holycrosshealth.org. Patients insured by Kaiser Permanente should call the main number 301-905-3535 and follow the prompts.
Health Insurance
Holy Cross Health accepts a wide range of health insurances for bariatric surgery and most insurance companies cover this procedure. Check with your insurance company to determine your plan benefits and requirements.
If you are a Kaiser patient, you can obtain a bariatric surgery referral from your primary care physician or specialist to learn more about our program. Kaiser Permanente-insured patients must complete all of the requirements of the Bariatric Surgery Program before having bariatric surgery. Call Kaiser Membership Services to learn about your bariatric surgery coverage for your specific Kaiser plan.
Two Locations to Serve You
Office
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital
19801 Observation Dr
Germantown, MD 20876
Phone: (301)557-6000
