International Certifications

Joint Commission International (JCI)

Obesity Control Center has been awarded the Gold Seal of Approval® and joins the rest of our accredited organizations—all sharing a commitment to achieving the highest quality, patient-safe care possible. Only a handful of the world’s most prestigious and recognized hospitals undergo JCI’s comprehensive on-site survey and evaluation process to determine if they meet our demanding quality and patient safety standard.

Please click on the link and then search Mexico and then choose Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and you will see Cyntar, that is the name of the company that owns Obesity Control Center, if you click on the link provided there, it will take you back to Obesity Control Center as a confirmation.

Center of Excellence in Specialized Anesthesia - Obesity (SRC)

We are proud to announce that Obesity Control Center has been recognized as a Center of Excellence in Specialized Anesthesia - Obesity by the SRC COESA-O program.

The COESA-O program identifies anesthesiologists and facilities worldwide who deliver anesthesia and care for obese surgical patients. They recognize those facilities that have achieved the defined standards for patient safety and care.

Center of Excellence in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (SRC)

Designated by the letters COEMBS, the Center of Excellence in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (COEMBS) program is a global patient safety and quality improvement program available to all Bariatric Surgeons and facilities in the United States and the rest of the world. The COEMBS program reflects the specific needs of obese patients and the unique roles and responsibilities of bariatric and metabolic surgery providers that are crucial to the patients’ safety and outcome.

Please click on the link and then for location search Tijuana and then choose: Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico from the drop-down menu. Dr. Ortiz, Dr. Martinez, and Obesity Control Center will show in the search results.

UCSD Partnership

The collaboration between Obesity Control Center and UCSD, brings together two prominent institutions in North America specializing in metabolic and bariatric surgery. Both centers have established a commendable worldwide recognition for delivering exceptional, economically viable surgical treatment, along with top-tier international surgical education.

Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA) Program

The Global Healthcare Accreditation® (GHA) Program is an independent accrediting body that seeks to improve the patient experience and excellence of care received by patients who travel for their medical care and treatment, whether within their own country or internationally. GHA’s goal is to share professional norms and set the standard for organizations serving medical travel patients. With a focus on the entire medical travel care continuum, patient experience, and sustainable business practices – GHA seeks to provide both short-term and long-term value to our clients, whom we view as strategic partners.

ISO 9001:2015 - Quality management systems

ISO 9001 is an international ISO standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that applies to the Quality Management Systems of public and private organizations, regardless of their size or business activity. It is an excellent working method for improving the quality of products and services, as well as customer satisfaction. The quality management system is based on the ISO 9001 standard, companies are interested in obtaining this certification to guarantee their customers the improvement of their products or services, and these, in turn, prefer companies committed to quality. Therefore, standards such as ISO 9001 become a competitive advantage for organizations.

The main objective of ISO-9001 is to increase customer satisfaction, thanks to continuous improvement processes. It is ideal for all those organizations with the ability to offer products and/or services that meet the demands of their clients, as well as being backed by an international certification that provides prestige, security, and guarantee.

ISO 27001:2013 - Information Security Management System

ISO 27001:2013 is the international standard that is recognized globally for managing risks to the security of information you hold. Certification to ISO 27001 allows you to prove to your clients and other stakeholders that you are managing the security of your information.

Board Certified in Bariatric Surgery: Mexican Board of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery (CMCOEM)

The Mexican College of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery (CMCOEM) is the Board that evaluates, examines, and certifies individuals who meet all the legal and academic requirements as well as meet the standards of excellence in the field of bariatric surgery. Surgeons desiring to practice Bariatric Surgery can only be certified by the CMCOEM in collaboration with the Mexican Board of Surgery. Additionally, the Mexican Board of Bariatric Surgery was charged with improving and broadening opportunities for the education and training of surgeons. The CMCOEM is an independent non-profit organization with worldwide recognition. Dr. Ariel Ortiz is the Past President of the CMCOEM and was elected by his peers in 2003, recognized as a distinguished surgeon in education, research, and practice.

Board Certified in General Surgery: Mexican Board of General Surgery (CMCG)

Board Certified General Surgeon means that The Mexican Board of General Surgery has granted the academic distinction and is the only academic certifying organization in Mexico that regulates, standardizes, and certifies physicians in the practice of general surgery. The Board has national and international recognition for the quality of the certification process, performance and credibility of its staff and board members. All Bariatric Surgeons must be certified by this board in order to practice Bariatric Surgery in Mexico.

Fellow: Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS)

Designated by the letters FACS after the surgeons’ name signifies that the surgeon has passed a rigorous evaluation. This evaluation takes an in-depth look at the surgeon’s education and training, surgical competence, professional qualifications, and ethical conduct and is only awarded when they have been found to be consistent with the high standards established and demanded by the College. Fellowship in the American College of Surgeons is also required to become a full member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery for International Surgeons.

Fellow: International Fellow of the ASMBS (IFASMBS)

Designated by the letters IFASMBS These letters after the surgeon’s name denotes Fellowship in the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The ASMBS was founded in 1983 and its purpose is to advance the art and science of metabolic and bariatric surgery by continually improving the quality and safety of care and treatment of people with obesity and related diseases. The designation of the International Fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery has been bestowed upon Dr Ariel Ortiz Lagardere who has been an International Regular Member in good standing in the ASMBS for the past 5 years. Obesity Control Center is a facility currently participating as an International MBSAQIP Data Collection Center. Designation as an “International Fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery” will be indicated by the letters IFASMBS after the surgeon’s name.

Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification

Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) is a more advanced version of the basic life support (BLS) certification held by all the Obesity Control Center Medical and Surgical Staff. BLS is held by all our non-medical and administrative staff. ACLS involves responding to an unconscious person, analyzing the cause of the emergency, determining the treatment(s) needed, and taking more advanced clinical steps to restore their breathing and heartbeat. ACLS providers are put to date in the use of tools such as intubation, electrocardiograms, and intravenous medications to treat the patient and determine the cause of the medical emergency and commonly use drugs to resuscitate or treat a patient who has experienced a heart attack, drug overdose or other trauma.

Our qualified healthcare providers that include our ward physicians, nurses, clinical pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and our surgical staff can provide ACLS. Though BLS is generally used in the pre-hospital setting all our non-medical staff is proficient in and certified in BLS,

BLS certification is valid for one year, ACLS certification and recertification for two years.

Medical License & Surgery License: Ministry of Public Education

The National Registry of Professions is the online resource to search the validity of any medical or professional license by name or license number. By filling in the full name or the license number the database will verify the validity of the medical license. There are two individual license numbers associated to any surgeon practicing bariatric surgery. The first number will be the license associated with practicing General Medicine. The second number will be the number associated with practicing General Surgery. The practice of Bariatric Surgery is regulated by the CONACEM and is awarded through the Mexican College of Bariatric Surgeons in collaboration with the Mexican Board of General Surgery. (Both accreditations appear elsewhere in this page).