PATH TO LAPAROSCOPIC BARIATRIC SURGERY

Our Program

Welcome to Wittgrove Bariatric Center. We are happy you have inquired about our program and look forward to providing you the professional care, courtesy and understanding you deserve. The following is a brief outline of the steps you will be taking should you choose to proceed with gastric bypass surgery:

Consultation and Community Educational Seminar
Moving Forward
Out of Pocket Expenses
Pre-Surgical Preparedness
Follow-Up
Support Group Meetings
Questions

Consultation and Community Educational Seminar

One of our surgeons will speak with you and others that are 100 pounds or more overweight, and interested in weight-loss surgery, at one of our free Educational Seminars. Our Educational Seminars are designed to be informative, educational and interesting – anatomy and physiology changes are discussed, as are the risks and benefits of obesity surgery. Necessary lifestyle changes associated with surgery and the maintenance of weight-loss are also outlined. There will be an opportunity to ask any questions you may have, and if you wish to do that privately, accommodations may be arranged.

Moving Forward

Please take time to complete the enclosed Patient Information Sheet and Patient History Questionnaire. Should you have questions about any part of these forms, please leave those areas blank. Once you have completed these forms, please fax or mail them into our office or bring them to any one of community seminars, along with a copy, front and back of your insurance card(s).

A nurse from our office will contact you to review your Patient History Questionnaire and to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Once that is completed, a Letter of Medical Necessity will be composed and sent to your insurance carrier(s). You will be sent a copy of this letter, along with a list of insurance requirements needed to process your request.

Upon submitting the necessary documentation to our office, we will forward your request to your insurance carrier(s). An insurance analyst will be assigned to you and serve as your “team member” throughout this process. As soon as your insurance carrier(s) notify us of their decision, we will notify you. Please keep in mind that this notification process may take from one to six weeks.

Note that receiving authorization from your insurance carrier(s) does not obligate you to have surgery.

After a decision has been made by your insurance carrier (s), our office will contact you to discuss your benefits and financial responsibility, and give you a schedule of available surgical dates. These dates will be confirmed with the hospital, all medical care providers involved and you, the patient.

Out of Pocket Expenses

Patients are responsible for payment of their insurance carrier (s) required co-payment prior to having surgery. All expected out-of-pocket expenses will be discussed in detail with you upon receiving insurance authorization for surgery.

Should you elect to pay cash for your surgery and no pursue insurance authorization, or if you do not have insurance coverage, cash pay fee schedules are available.

Pre-Surgical Preparedness

The Wittgrove Bariatric Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive medical care. Every pre-operative patient must see the following physicians for pre-operative clearance (each physician’s office will bill your insurance carrier[s] directly):

• Internist
• Psychologist / Psychiatrist (for evaluation)
• Specialist (such as a Cardiologist, Endocrinologist or Pulmonologist, based on your individual medical history)

Once your surgical date has been scheduled, a pre-operative physical will also be scheduled for you to undergo here in San Diego, with your surgeon.

A pre-operative packet will be mailed to you with written confirmation of dates, financial arrangements and agreements, any necessary pre-operative lab requests and other informative details needed to prepare you for surgery.

Follow-Up

Postoperative visits with your surgeon and team of clinic nurses will be frequent during the first year after surgery. After your first year post-op, our office will conduct annual follow-up visits with you. These follow-up visits will include a review of your eating habits, nutrition, exercise regimen and at certain intervals, your blood work will be reviewed as well. Although we prefer to see you in our office for your follow-ups, we understand that this may not be possible for those living far from San Diego. We have an established protocol for our out-of-area patients that include the participation and involvement of your local primary care physician. Committing yourself to these follow-up visits is vital to your success post-operatively.

Support Group Meetings

All patients are invited to attend at least one support group meeting pre-surgically. We hold them regularly in San Diego, Alaska, and Las Vegas, Nevada. The schedules are available on this website or you may email us at [email protected] for specific inquires.

Questions

Our team is dedicated to serving you and is always available to answer questions, address your concerns and provide you with any additional information. Please contact us at 800-342-3944 or e-mail us at [email protected].