The American Association of Bariatric Counselors’ Centers of Therapeutic Excellence program was developed to recognize, accredit, and highlight centers and providers, worldwide, who have kept pace with the bariatric science and are dedicated to providing excellent and compassionate therapeutic care for bariatric patients and to provide the public with the guidance to identify trusted and accredited obesity treatment centers.
Core Criteria For Certification and Accreditation
Centers of Therapeutic Excellence (COTE)
- COTE have a minimum of (1) Board Certified Bariatric Counselor/Educator on staff or have an eligible staff member that is ( or will be ) enrolled in the AABC Board Certification Program. ( Staff member enrollment in the AABC Certification Program can be included in the initial COTE application)
- To ensure best practices in bariatric care and maintain accreditation, COTE centers are required to keep current with bariatric science, substantiate patient satisfaction and quantify evidence-based obesity and related co-morbidity outcomes.
- COTE centers are staffed with health professionals who have recognized and provide for the specialized and sensitive needs of bariatric patients.
- COTE Centers/Providers continue to contribute to their communities’ public health education needs.
