Mercy Health – Lorain is proud to announce it is now offering bariatric and weight management services with the new addition of a bariatric surgeon.
Studies show obesity affects more than one-third of Americans, and it is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Nearly 40 percent of working-age Americans aged 40 to 59 classify as obese and conditions associated with obesity, such as diabetes, add to the physical and financial toll of obesity.
“Obesity greatly impacts a person’s quality of life. It’s not just their health that suffers, but also household budgets and even relationships can be affected. That’s why we’ve worked so hard to make sure effective weight management solutions are available here in Lorain and its surrounding communities,” said Dr. James Kravec, chief clinical officer for Mercy Health – Lorain.
Bariatric surgery has proven to be an effective tool in reducing the long-term personal, clinical and economic costs of obesity. With the addition of Dr. Jeffery Landers, Mercy Health – Lorain will now be able to offer patients this option to help them lose excess weight and reduce their risk of potentially life-threatening health problems.
“One reason I chose bariatric surgery is because it demands long-term collaborative and supportive doctor-patient relationships,” Dr. Landers explained. “I want patients to know that such a relationship is a big part of the formula to long-term health and success.”
Dr. Landers is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio and completed his residency at the University of Rochester in New York, where he first became interested in bariatric surgery after witnessing the profound improvements it provides in the management of diabetes.
“Throughout surgical training, I was presented with the multiple roadblocks to surgical and medical care that are a result of diabetes. Then, suddenly, there was a field of surgery which produced complete remission of diabetes for the vast majority of patients,” he explained.
After serving active duty as a general surgeon in the U.S. Navy for four years, Dr. Landers completed a bariatric surgery fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. In July, he joined the staff of Mercy Health – Lorain with more than 25 years of experience in bariatric surgery under his belt, and he is now working toward building a comprehensive surgical weight loss program for the Lorain market to assist patients battling everything from obesity and diabetes to hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD).
“The sincere interest in establishing a Bariatric Center of Excellence in a system with a lot of experience in doing so was a big draw to coming to Mercy Health,” Dr. Landers said. “I'm excited to get a system up and running where we provide the highest level of care to patients in need in a location I call home.”
Visit our website for more information on the bariatric care and weight management Mercy Health offers.