Sheridan Memorial Hospital Hopes Bariatric Surgery Will Keep Patients In Sheridan Area

Sheridan Memorial Hospital will soon bring in a new type of surgery that will keep patients from having to leave the area.

Bariatric surgery, which is a type of weight loss surgery, was recently approved by the hospital’s board of directors, although a start date for the program has not been determined, because a number of legal requirements still need to be met.

Doctor Josh Scott, who is a 1994 Sheridan High School graduate, made the proposal to the board, saying he has experience with the surgery procedure.

Hospital President Mike McCafferty says if this program can get off the ground, it will allow patients to stay in the Sheridan area.

“There are quite a few people in our catchment area who fit this category for this type of a service and currently those people are leaving the community for this service and so given the level of training that he has around this service line, is very appropriate for him to be able to provide that service here and us to be able to create a supporting mechanism for these patients along with Dr. Scott, so there’s a good team of people that are taking care of patients.”

The bariatric surgery procedure alters gut hormone levels responsible for hunger, leading to a new hormonal weight set point.