Physician presentation explores weight-related health concerns

LOVELAND, Colo. (Jan. 6, 2011) – Michael Johnell, MD, a bariatric surgeon, will discuss the effect of health-related conditions associated with being overweight and options for weight loss from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18 at McKee Conference and Wellness Center, 2000 Boise Ave. One of his patients will share her struggles and success with weight loss.

This presentation is part of McKee Medical Center’s Health and Wellness Series. To register for the talk, please call (970) 593-6074.
Dr. Johnell leads the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, which along with McKee Medical Center is part of Banner Health. He performs surgery at NCMC. Dr. Johnell also recently began seeing patients in his office at Aspen Medical Center in Loveland.

Morbid obesity is associated with many diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, it is associated with a number of emotional problems and difficulties. Dr. Johnell will discuss the link between obesity and many health concerns. He also will explain medically supervised weight loss as well as the surgery he performs to treat obesity.

Dr. Johnell has 25 years of general surgery experience, 20 years of advanced laparoscopic surgery experience, and 10 years of laparoscopic bariatric surgery experience.

He is a native of Long Island, N.Y., and came to Colorado in 2001 to develop his own bariatric surgery program.

He completed his undergraduate work at Hofstra University in Long Island, N.Y., and attended Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C. He completed general surgery residency training at New York University, New York City, and Rutgers Medical School, New Brunswick, N.J. He went on to St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo., for a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery. Dr. Johnell is board certified in general surgery by the American Board of Medical Specialties, is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

For more information about bariatric surgery, please visit www.bannerhealth.com/NCMCbariatrics.