Ball Bariatric Center and Clarian Bariatrics Announce Partnership

07/30/2009

MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball Memorial Hospital Bariatric and Nutritional Counseling Center has announced its partnership with Clarian Health.

The Bariatric Center, 2901 W. Jackson St., is now named Clarian Bariatrics at Ball Memorial Hospital. Officials said the goal of the partnership is to further expand the scope of weight loss surgery options to residents of East Central Indiana by offering additional seminars and surgical procedures, including gastric bypass surgery, in Indianapolis.

Muncie-area patients will continue to be treated at the Jackson Street Center by BMH-affiliated physicians and personnel, including physician Paul Stewart and registered nurse Mary Harrington, who is the bariatric program coordinator. The group will continue to offer periodic seminars in Anderson, Marion and Richmond and monthly seminars in Muncie. Additionally, patients will have the opportunity to attend any seminars, cooking classes and support groups at the Clarian Bariatrics outpatient clinic located on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

"Our team at Ball Memorial is pleased to be affiliated with Clarian's bariatric professionals and be able to share the resources of Clarian Health with our patients," Harrington said.

The announcement is one of many for Clarian Bariatrics in recent months. The program has added two full-time surgeons and will move to a 30,000 square foot outpatient facility to better accommodate its fast-growing program.

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About Ball Memorial Hospital - Ball Memorial Hospital serves as a tertiary referral center and teaching hospital for East Central Indiana. Ball Hospital is a Clarian Health Partner, accredited by the Joint Commission and maintains more than one million square feet of facilities. More than 18,000 patients are admitted every year and 150,000 outpatient procedures are completed annually.

About Clarian Bariatrics - Offering a comprehensive and unique program that goes beyond the initial weight loss that patients experience, Clarian Bariatrics uses cooking classes that promote healthy meal preparation and puts significant focus on patient education and long-term follow up. Clarian Bariatrics works with each patient individually while also providing comprehensive physiologic, mental and nutritional evaluation and support. The program has been named an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. The ASMBS Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery. To learn more about Clarian Bariatrics, please visit www.ACallToChange.org.