Conemaugh Physician Group – Bariatrics unveils new Western Pennsylvania Bariatric Institute

Conemaugh Physician Group - Bariatrics and Weight Loss Center announced today a new name and brand to better reflect the services and care provided to patients. The Center will now be known as the Western Pennsylvania Bariatric Institute. It will continue to provide services to patients in the same location and under the leadership of D’Arcy Duke, MD, who has been leading the bariatric team and serving as the director of bariatric surgery for Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center.

“We are thrilled to share this new identity with our community,” said Rodney Reider, CEO and Market President of Conemaugh Health System. “The new name and branding more accurately reflect the highly specialized and comprehensive care the weight management team provides patients in this community and surrounding areas.”

Reider added “While the practice is getting a new look, it’s imperative to note that our patients will receive the same high-quality care as always. We remain steadfastly focused on providing top-tier bariatrics and weight loss services with the same physician and staff at the same location.”

Dr. Duke is a board-certified general surgeon and fellowship-trained in laparoscopic bariatric surgery. She is robotically trained in bariatric surgery and recently completed her 100th robotic-assisted bariatric surgery and her 500th robotic-assisted general surgery.

Western PA Bariatric Institute will continue to offer patients the same compassionate, comprehensive care that has been a hallmark of the practice for years. The practice’s multidisciplinary approach to bariatric services includes surgical and medical weight loss providers working collaboratively with dietitians, insurance and intake coordinators, psychologists, and experienced surgical teams to ensure successful, safe, quality care at every step of a patient’s weight loss journey.

"What sets us apart from other programs is our multi-disciplinary approach to patient care,” said Dr. Duke. “The Western PA Bariatric Institute has a team of skilled clinical professionals to provide care and support our patients’ weight loss and health goals.”

Dr. Duke stresses the significant health benefits of weight loss, emphasizing the program's impressive success rate.

“There are a lot of people who would see tremendous health benefits from weight loss. We know from the statistics that diet and exercise alone have poor long-term success rates – only 5%. However, for those who have bariatric surgery, the success rate is 50%. For those not ready for surgery, the institute also offers medical weight loss services in a safe, medically supervised environment under the guidance of an experienced team.”

The plan will typically involve exercise, lifestyle counseling, and a healthy meal program that delivers taste and nutrition in a low-calorie package. Patients may also be prescribed medication that can boost results and help curb appetite.

Dr. Duke received her medical degree from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University before completing her residency in surgery at Boston University Medical Center. Dr. Duke continued her education at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center completing a mini fellowship in Minimally Invasive Bariatric Surgery.