Insurance Coverage
The first step, is to find out which bariatric surgeon falls within your insurance network. When an insurance considers a doctor, or a facility, in network, that insurance has specifically made a contract with that entity to provide for services to you. Your insurance provider should have a list of providers who do bariatric surgery. If they do not, you can call your insurance company and ask a representative. If the doctor is not in network with your insurance, forget it unless you are willing to pay for the entire process out of your own pocket.
The Doctor
The first thing you want to look for, is a group of doctors who specialize in bariatric surgery. By looking for a group of doctors, you will have a doctor on call 24/7. Having a gastric surgeon on call at all times is absolutely crucial in case of complications after surgery. Do not use any surgeon who does not have someone to take call for him if he is not available.
The second important thing with choosing a bariatric surgeon, is finding someone who is fellowship trained. A doctor who is fellowship trained has spent months or years training with someone who is experienced at doing this type of surgery. Any general surgeon can actually do this surgery, but a physician who is fellowship trained knows not only how to do the surgery, but what complications to expect after the surgery. The fellowship trained surgeon also knows what type of tests you will need to have before your surgery, to ensure that you are at your most healthy when going into surgery. There will be another blog on my experience with these pre-screeners.
The second important thing with choosing a bariatric surgeon, is finding someone who is fellowship trained. A doctor who is fellowship trained has spent months or years training with someone who is experienced at doing this type of surgery. Any general surgeon can actually do this surgery, but a physician who is fellowship trained knows not only how to do the surgery, but what complications to expect after the surgery. The fellowship trained surgeon also knows what type of tests you will need to have before your surgery, to ensure that you are at your most healthy when going into surgery. There will be another blog on my experience with these pre-screeners.
Make sure to ask the surgeon how many surgeries, of the type you have chosen, they have performed. You want someone who has performed in the hundreds of your type of surgery if that is possible. If it is not possible, but they are fellowship trained, I wouldn't necessarily exclude the doctor from being your choice.
The Staff
Assess the staff on your visits and ask other clients about their experiences. How does their nursing staff treat you? Do they have an insurance specialist who can guide you through the confusing process of obtaining insurance approval? Do they provide you information or suppliers on obtaining meal helpers like protein supplements and high quality vitamins? Do they help you get through the process of your pre-screeners such as helping you schedule them?
A good doctor and staff will meet all of these criteria. Some even more. Make sure that you have the best from the beginning, so that you don't suffer unduly after your surgery. These suggestions are all of my opinions, based on my experiences up to this point. Happy doctor hunting!
A good doctor and staff will meet all of these criteria. Some even more. Make sure that you have the best from the beginning, so that you don't suffer unduly after your surgery. These suggestions are all of my opinions, based on my experiences up to this point. Happy doctor hunting!
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