KTKA

Chris Goatee waits in a not-so typical hospital room. He's in for gastric bypass surgery, and says the waiting room at the University of Maryland Medical Center is much more comfortable than others.

"There are wider chairs here, the hallways seem a little bit wider," he said. "I looked in the rooms and the doors were open a little bit wider."

Bathroom fixtures are also built sturdier.

The new bariatric unit at the University of Maryland is specifically designed for patients having weight-loss surgery.

"We have an overweight population and these rooms, rooms similar to this, are going to be necessary to provide good patient care," said Dr. Mark Kligman.

The furniture is designed to support up to 800 pounds.

"If you look at the restroom in most hospitals, the toilet is actually mounted to the wall. in this particular unit it's mounted to the floor so that there's no issue with an overweight patient sitting on the commode and breaking it," Kligman said.

The showers are roomier and allow for wider wheelchairs. The larger hallways help patients feel more comfortable to get up and walk after surgery.

"What I found was that as I got out of bed and as I did walk the perimeter of the unit," Goatee said. "I felt so much better walking that by the next morning, I had either walked four or six times the perimeter of the unit, and it just felt so great."

The number of patients having weight-loss surgery is rising dramatically. Now hospitals are helping them take the first steps to a healthier life.