Virginia and West Virginia State Chapter

Incorporated in March 2005

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Mission Statement

The Virginia Bariatric Society is an official state chapter of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, allowing surgeons in Virginia and West Virginia a local forum in which to communicate with one another on the latest treatments and trends and news within the industry. The vision of the ASMBS is to improve public health and well being by lessening the burden of the disease of obesity and related diseases throughout the world. The purpose of the society is to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery by continued encouragement of its members to carry out the following mission:

  • To improve the care and treatment of people with obesity and related diseases.
  • To advance the science and understanding of metabolic surgery.
  • To foster communication between health professional on obesity and related conditions.
  • To be the recognized authority and resource on metabolic and bariatric surgery.
  • To advocate for health care policy that ensures patient access to high quality prevention and treatment of obesity.
  • To be a highly valued specialty society that serves the educational and professional needs of our diverse membership.

Executive Officers

President: Jennifer Salluzzo, MD FASMBS
Vice President: Lawrence Tabone, MD, FASMBS
Secretary/Treasurer: Catherine Varney, DO
Integrated Health Chair: Leah Loomis, DNP, ACNP-BC, CBN
Integrated Health Past Chair: Nathaniel Sann, MSN FNP-BC
Integrated Health Co-Chair: Open
Past Presidents: Gregory Adams, MD FACS, Guilherme M. Campos, MD PhD FACS FASMBS; Kinga Powers, MD PhD SAMVAMC; Troy Glembot, MD FASMBS
STAR (State Access to Care Rep): Jennifer Salluzzo, MD FASMBS
IH STAR (State Access to Care Representative): Kati Duncan, PsyD
Executive Director: Carly Miller

Board Members

Timothy Snow DO, FACS, FASMBS
Michael Barker, MD

Contact

Mailing Address:
2821 Emerywood Parkway, Suite 200
Richmond, VA 23294
Email: VBSDirector@ramdocs.org

Chapter Meetings

Chapter Updates

  • As of January 1st 2023, Virginia Medicaid now requires ALL Medicaid participating Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to approve Anti-Obesity Medications (AOM)

  • Insurance coverage remains stable.

  • While insurance coverage remains stable, we are still working in reducing a 12 month Insurance mandate requirement for State Employees. Dr. Campos will visit Capitol Hill to meet with Virginia Legislators and at return will have a visit with the Virginia DHRM Director as to again attempt to remove that access barrier to State Employees.

  • Main barrier is for State Employee’s that though have coverage have to go through a 12 month supervised diet. Again, we are still working in reducing a 12 month Insurance mandate requirement for State Employees. Dr. Campos will visit Capitol Hill to meet with Virginia Legislators and at return will have a visit with the Virginia DHRM Director as to again attempt to remove that access barrier to State Employees.

  • We have combined Virginia with West Virginia to form one chapter – the chapter name remains as the Virginia Bariatric Society.

  • We are currently working on a risk adjusted “Bundled Payment System” proposal for Virginia State Employees that would address the 12 month waiting period that is currently in place. This is an ongoing topic of our discussions in our chapter and was hotly debated during the April 2017 spring meeting. The next steps are to work on the formal position of the VBS on the Bundled Plan Introduction and addressing all the necessary components that would be required to introduce such a bundle. We using the ASAMBS toolkit for the creation of a bundled payment plan and are working closely with a CFO from VCU to address the concerns of the Virginia Bariatric Surgeons.

  • Quality Improvement Collaborative: “Virginia Bariatric Collaborative (VBC)”

    • VBS has partnered with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) and Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR) as providing the technological structure for the Collaborative and for VCU to serve as the VBC Coordinating Center

Support Groups

  • UVA Health Virtual Support Group 3rd Tuesday of the month 5:30-6:30 pm

    via WebEx

  • Sentara Comprehensive Weight Loss Solutions
    6333 Center Drive, Bldg. 16, Norfolk, VA 23502
    2nd Thursday of every month
    6:00-7:30 pm

    • Mary Washington Weight Loss Center
      1011 Care Way Suite 100
      Fredericksburg, VA 22401
      via TEAMS For more information, please call 540.741.2955

    • Centra Pre- and Post-op Bariatric Support Group 2nd Tuesday of each month, 6:00 pm
      125 Nationwide Dr
      Lynchburg VA 24503
      Call for virtual option 434-200-2500

    • Centra Post-op Bariatric Support Group

      3rd Tuesday of each month, 6:00 pm
      125 Nationwide Dr Lynchburg VA 24503
      Call for virtual option 434-200-2500

    • Sentara RMH Weight Loss Surgery

      2006 Health Campus Drive, Suite 200 Harrisonburg, VA 22801
      Facebook Support Group

Advocacy Information