WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – To make weight-loss surgery more accessible for patients in the Triad, Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center began offering bariatric surgery Nov. 1. Bariatric surgery, also referred to as weight-loss surgery, involves operating on the stomach and/or intestines to help patients lose weight. Bariatric surgery is the most effective and durable treatment for severe obesity and related medical conditions. In addition to weight loss, the procedure offers many health benefits, including decreased risk of heart disease, joint pain, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, several types of cancer and in some cases, completely curing Type 2 diabetes.
“We’re very excited to expand access to bariatric surgical services here in the Piedmont Triad,” said Chad Setliff, president of Novant Health’s greater Winston-Salem market. “More than a third of adults in the United States have obesity, which is an underlying condition for many of the health problems our patients experience. To address this issue, we began offering bariatric surgery at Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center in 2013, and we’ve established several weight-loss clinics across the area. The results have been truly life changing for our patients, who now have convenient access to customized nutrition and exercise plans, counseling support and if needed, surgical care.”
To expand access to care, two board-certified surgeons, Dr. Joshua Rickey and Dr. Paul Chandler, of Novant Health Salem Surgical Associates, perform leading-edge robotic-assisted bariatric procedures at Forsyth Medical Center. Novant Health Salem Surgical Associates has convenient locations in Winston-Salem and Clemmons.
- Rickey completed his medical degree and residency in general surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina. He went on to complete a fellowship in bariatric and minimally invasive surgery at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. He then completed an additional year of fellowship training in the transition to practice program at Wake Forest Baptist Health. Rickey has more than 10 years of surgical experience. When not at work, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and their two children.
- Chandler earned his medical degree at Ross University School of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency at Maimonides Medical Center. He went on to complete a fellowship in bariatric surgery at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center. Chandler specializes in both robotic general and bariatric surgery and has more than eight years of surgical experience. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and hiking with his wife and two daughters, as well as surfing at the beach.
“We spend a lot of time with each patient discussing the importance of lifestyle changes and behavior modification,” said Rickey.
“If surgery is recommended, we want to do everything possible before, during and after their procedure to establish a pattern for lifelong success,” added Chandler.
That’s why Novant Health Salem Surgical Associates partners with Novant Health Bariatric Solutions and CoreLife, which both offer a multidisciplinary team approach to help patients lose and maintain a healthy weight. Services include weight-loss counseling, support groups, nutritional, psychological and financial counseling, medical weight management and pre- and post-surgical support. They also both offer convenient locations throughout the Triad.
In 2020, Novant Health partnered with CoreLife, a nationally recognized health care organization specializing in the treatment of obesity and related illnesses. CoreLife Novant Health has six convenient clinic locations across the Triad and assists patients needing enhanced individualized care, education and accountability. Each clinic team includes a nurse practitioner, registered dietitian, exercise specialist, and licensed clinical social worker who collaborate to deliver compassionate and personalized care plans for each patient. In some cases, this includes surgery.
The addition of Novant Health Salem Surgical Associates strengthens Novant Health’s robust bariatric surgery offerings in the Triad. Novant Health also offers bariatric surgery at Kernersville Medical Center, Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center and Novant Health Matthews Medical Center which are accredited as comprehensive centers of excellence under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program for meeting the highest standards of patient safety and quality care. Forsyth Medical Center will also apply for this designation.
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