THREE TOP LAFAYETTE SURGEONS JOIN THE SURGICAL SPECIALISTS OF LOUISIANA CREATING THE STATE’S LARGEST WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY PRACTICE

COVINGTON, LA –The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana announced today that they are merging with Drs. Gary H. Stevens, Uyen B. Chu, and Carson C. Cunningham in Lafayette, LA, creating a network of weight loss surgeons across the State of Louisiana.

Obesity Action Coalition cites that more than 1.2 million residents of Louisiana are considered obese, and about 225,000 are morbidly obese. Individuals who are obese have a significant increased risk of premature death from medical causes compared to individuals with a healthy weight. “As physicians, we can have no greater impact than to help patients overcome their weight loss issues. Through minimally invasive surgery techniques, obesity and obesity related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea can be resolved,” said Dr. Tom Lavin, founder of The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana. Dr. Uyen B. Chu, Director of the Southwest Surgical Weight Management Centerin Lafayette, also added, “This integration allows us to operate our practice more effectively while providing physician coverage to our patients in the entire Gulf South region with the highest quality of care possible.”

With the addition of Drs. Gary H. Stevens, Uyen B. Chu and Carson C. Cunningham to The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana (SSL), our group of board certified bariatric surgeons specializing in minimally invasive weight loss surgery grows from six to nine surgeons. With offices in Baton Rouge, Covington, Metairie and now Lafayette, SSL will be the largest group of bariatric surgeons in the State.

The Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) has designated SSL physicians Dr. Chu, Dr. Lavin, Dr. Moore, Dr. Thomas, Dr. Stevens and Dr. Warden, ASMBS (American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons) Center of Excellence Surgeons. SRC is an organization dedicated to pursuing surgical excellence by creating rigorous surgical standards and expectations of quality outcomes. Surgeons with ASMBS Center of Excellence designations practice only top-quality patient care and their surgical outcomes meet the stringent demands set forth by SRC for ASMBS.

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana demonstrate this willingness to take the extra step by offering patients a comprehensive program including in-depth education both pre and post-operatively, tracking and documenting patient outcomes, and providing follow-up and support as their patients commit to a significant change in lifestyle. Dr. Lavin concurs with that statement, “At the end of the day, it is all about our patients. Our surgeons are committed to offering a comprehensive approach to surgical weight loss where the emphasis is on quality, outcomes and excellence. We have helped over 3,000 obese patients regain their health. Our experience makes all the difference.”