Bariatric surgery now available in Grand Haven

Bariatric surgery was added this month to the list of services offered by the North Ottawa Community Health System in Grand Haven. During the past several months, NOCHS officials say they have worked to establish a relationship with Grand Rapids-based Grand Health Partners. This independent bariatric surgical group is also conducting surgeries in Grand Rapids at Spectrum Health and St. Mary's hospitals.

Tribune Staff

Grand Haven

May 24, 2011

“We are thrilled to bring our community a local surgical weight-loss solution,” NOCHS President/CEO Shelleye Yaklin said. “General surgery — of which bariatrics is a part — is a critical part of our system’s continuum of care.”

The Grand Health Partners staff said they identified an unmet need for surgical weight loss in northern Ottawa County based on migration patterns of its patients — a portion of which travel to Grand Rapids from the Lakeshore for services. This analysis is supported by demographic research conducted by NOCHS, Yaklin said.

Two Grand Health Partners physicians, Dr. James Foote and Dr. Derek Nagle, are now members of the NOCHS medical staff.

Foote, who has performed more than 2,400 bariatric surgeries in his career, conducted his first surgery at North Ottawa Community Hospital in late April.

Visit www.noch.org or www.grandhealthpartners.com for more information.