FERNANDO B. BONANNI, JR., MD MBA FACS FASMBS
While serving in the United States Air Force, Fernando B. Bonanni, Jr., MD, completed Phase I & II of the Medical Laboratory Technician Course. He also completed the Medical Technology Program at Midwestern State University. Dr. Bonanni earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University where he graduated as a part of the Honor Society and was also on the Dean’s List. Immediately following this, he completed the Post Graduate Pre-Med Program at the University of Pennsylvania, and then earned his medical degree from Hahnemann University School of Medicine. Dr. Bonanni completed his residency in general surgery at Lehigh Valley Hospital, where he then served as chief resident of general surgery. He is a borad certified general surgeon since 1996. Dr. Bonanni Persued and graduated with honors from a Physicians Executive MBS program from 2017 to 2019 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Dr. Bonanni initiated the bariatric surgery program at Abington – Jefferson Health in 2006, which has since been established as the Institute for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (IMBS). He was the Director of IMBS and the associate Director of the Bariatric Surgery Fellowship Program until May 2020. He also served Abington Jefferson health as the director of the operating room, and as as the Vice Charirman of the Department of Surgery at Abington Jefferson Health in Abington, Pa. until May of 2020. He served education at Jefferson Health throug the Bariatric Fellowship Program and is a clinical assistant professor of surgery at Jefferson University College of Medicine.He is now the director of a new Obesity program at the Blessing Health System in Quincy Illinois and is the President of his consulting service ” General and Bariatric Surgery Consultants”.
Within the field of bariatric surgery, he specializes in minimally invasive bariatric surgery(laparoscopic and Robotic), performing the entire armamentarium of bariatric procedures including the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, SADI, vertical sleeve gastrectomy revision bariatric surgery, endoluminal revision surgery, and gastric balloon. He has taken many additional advanced educational courses in general and bariatric surgery.
He is a member and a fellow of several local and national professional societies, including The American College of Surgeons, The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, The Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons and The Philadelphia Academy of Surgeons, to name a few. He seved as the president of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery until May of 2020.
Dr. Bonanni was also involved in several committees both at Abington – Jefferson Health and through the professional societies that he is a member of. He served as the Director of the Operating Room and chairs all of the associated committees. He served as the Chairman of the Bariatric Surgery Committee. He also served on the Credentials Committee, Operating Room Management Committee, and as a Hospital Safety Officer.
Dr. Bonanni has been committed to the disease of obesity since 1999. He has the experience of approximately 4500 bariatric procedures. He has enjoyed a career as a co-director of a fellowship program in bariatric surgery in the Jefferson Health System. .Dr. Bonanni has served as a director of accredited metabolic and bariatric surgery programs through the American College of Surgeons/ASMBS sponsored Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) since 2006. He is a long-standing member and fellow of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) since 2003. He has have served the society in leadership roles that have included the Safety Committee and as the President of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Bonanni presently serve the society as a program surveyor for accreditation of existing and new programs.
He has co-authored over 20 peer reviewed journals and abstracts, and one book chapter within his field. Dr. Bonanni has presented at more than 50 regional and national medical conferences and events. He has won many awards throughout his career, including being recognized in Philadelphia Magazine as one of Philadelphia’s Top Docs for seven consecutive years from 2011 to 2020.
Dr. Bonanni currently serves as the founder and director of a new comprehensive obestiy program and as the Vice Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the Blessing Health System in Quincy Illinois. Dr. Bonanni also currently serves as a General and Bariatric Surgeon at the Philadelphia, VAMC.