[Patients' paths to a designated reference center for severe obesity: the example of the Montpellier Regional Hospital Center]

Abstract

Bariatric surgery is booming in France and there is increasing interest in developing new surgical techniques. It is essential to manage such surgery in a multidisciplinary fashion: rigorous coordination is required along with adaptability to the local care available. Organization into centers of excellence is encouraged, and good communication between the hospital medicosurgical team and the private practitioners are highly recommended. Multidisciplinary meetings for therapeutic decisions are invaluable because they allow the direct exchange of information between the hospital staff and private practitioners. The selection of one member of the hospital team as liaison for each patient can facilitate the organization of postsurgical follow up Long-term follow-up of these patients is mandatory but often very difficult to maintain beyond one year. Organized coordination between hospital and private practitioners should improve this follow-up.