Carilion Health System To Hold Free Community Health Education Program On Weight Loss Surgery   Lexington, VA April 28, 2006. Carilion Health System has planned a free community health education program on bariatric surgery. A Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital physician will discuss what weight-loss/bariatric surgery is, who is a likely candidate and what it takes to achieve long-term weight-loss. The bariatric surgery program helps morbidly obese people regain their health and positively change their lives. The significant weight loss gives most patients the ability to control or resolve medical problems associated with obesity, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and high cholesterol. Patients who qualify for the program lose about 60 percent of excess weight in the first year. Many medical insurance companies have begun covering this type of surgery. Potential patients should contact their insurance provider to see if they offer coverage for this procedure. The free seminar on bariatric surgery is being offered as follows: May 11     6 – 7:30 p.m.,     Bruce Long, M.D., Carilion Stonewall Jackson Conference Room A, Lexington, VA For more information about the bariatric weight-loss solutions seminar or to register, call Carilion Direct at 266-6000 or 1-800-422-8482.

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