CLEVELAND, Jan. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- St. Vincent Charity Medical Center has been selected as the first hospital in the country to participate in the Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH) Employers Centers of Excellence Network for bariatric surgery. Through this contract, St. Vincent Charity will provide weight loss surgery for large national employers, through a prospective bundled payment arrangement.

The agreement took effect January 1, 2016. The selection was made in September 2015, following a competitive nationwide center assessment and selection process. Under PBGH's Employers Centers of Excellence Network (ECEN), covered members of participating employers will be eligible to receive bariatric surgery through a travel surgery program that includes their pre- and post-op services covered through the negotiated bundle payment model.

"Our selection is validation of the quality outcomes of our bariatric program," said Dr. David F. Perse, president and CEO of St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. "Since 1997, St. Vincent Charity has performed more than 7,000 bariatric surgeries. Our success rate is high because our patients are well prepared for the surgery. This is an opportunity for us to help more patients and to improve the health of a wider population," said Perse.

In choosing St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, PBGH noted St. Vincent Charity's clinical expertise and quality, willingness to be a partner and collaborator, commitment to a tailored patient experience, central location in Northeast Ohio, as well as their flexibility and expediency in negotiating comprehensive bundled arrangements. Olivia Ross, Associate Director of the ECEN shared her enthusiasm, "We are pleased to have St. Vincent Charity join the Employers Centers of Excellence Network. We look for nationally recognized, high-quality providers who are eager to pioneer innovative healthcare delivery and payment models. The ECEN leverages provider collaboration to develop evidence-based, patient-centric programs to improve outcomes, increase satisfaction and optimize employer value."

Nationally, more than one-third of the adult population is considered obese (BMI of 30 or greater). With more than 40 obesity associated diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer, the healthcare costs are upwards of $150 billion per year. Bariatric surgery is an option for those with severe or morbid obesity who have not been successful with conventional weight loss methods.

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center is Cleveland's faith-based, high-quality healthcare provider. Our distinguished doctors and caregivers are devoted to treating every patient with clinical excellence and compassionate care. St. Vincent Charity Medical Center is home to the renowned Spine and Orthopedic Institute and the Center for Bariatric Surgery. Owned by the Sisters of Charity Health System, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center provides Care Beyond Medicine. For more information, visit www.stvincentcharity.com.

The Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH) is a non-profit business coalition focused on improving the quality and affordability of health care. PBGH represents 60 large health care purchaser members with more than 10 million employees, retirees and dependents. www.pbgh.org @pbgh_updates