Re: The California Suregons

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/18/01 11:30:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

chull1@... writes:

> By the way, Dr. B's 2001 report only talks about 125 DS

> cases, so I don't understand the quotes of 1000 that have been

> bandied about.]

I believe that paper is written on a specific set of dates...not all his

patients.

~~* AJ *~~

Age 37 5'8''

Post op 7/24/01 Open BPD/DS

self pay - Dr Baltasar -Alcoy Spain

07/24/01 BMI 64 - 415.1

08/06/01 BMI 59 - 390.2 -24.9 lbs!!!!!!!!!!~~~~

08/16/01 BMI 58 - 387.0 -27.9 lbs!!!!!!!!!!~~~~

Check out the Bellingham Support Group

and my personal page at WWW.WLSBellingham.homestead.com

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/18/01 11:30:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

chull1@... writes:

> By the way, Dr. B's 2001 report only talks about 125 DS

> cases, so I don't understand the quotes of 1000 that have been

> bandied about.]

I believe that paper is written on a specific set of dates...not all his

patients.

~~* AJ *~~

Age 37 5'8''

Post op 7/24/01 Open BPD/DS

self pay - Dr Baltasar -Alcoy Spain

07/24/01 BMI 64 - 415.1

08/06/01 BMI 59 - 390.2 -24.9 lbs!!!!!!!!!!~~~~

08/16/01 BMI 58 - 387.0 -27.9 lbs!!!!!!!!!!~~~~

Check out the Bellingham Support Group

and my personal page at WWW.WLSBellingham.homestead.com

[Guest guest]

> Dr. Rabkin:

> Dr. Rabkin's staff has been a mess for well over a year now with high

> turnover.

The high turnover, I believe, is because Rabkin actually let almost his

entire staff go about five months ago so that he could start fresh to

try to improve things. I know that he cares deeply about what his

patients are encountering with his staff; during my one-year follow up,

he specifically asked me what my experience had been and also what my

sense was of the overall feeling from patients re: the staff. At that

time, I suppose he was trying to get a realistic sense of how to manage

things -- not long after that, the office staff was history. From what I

understand, the newer people have better people skills, but they are

still working on the overall management and trying to get things to

mesh. Part of the problem is that a local news station ran (and it was

just rerun) a two-part story about Dr. Rabkin and the DS. That threw the

demand for Dr. Rabkin into a frenzied level that they are really trying

hard to manage in the best way possible.

I can also say that while it may not be so easy to get into the loop

there as a patient, once you ARE taken on as a patient, you do have 24/7

access. All patients are given a direct number that they can call at

anytime when they have a problem. Some people have groused about the

nurses and docs taking cellphone calls during appointments. I have had

it happen myself... But I saw it as a positive. If the doc is willing to

take THEIR call right away, that means if and when *I* need an immediate

response, I might be treated the same. The docs and nurses and staff

have a delicate balancing act to perform for pre-ops, peri-ops and

post-ops. It ain't easy, but I know that they are seriously endeavoring

to improve things all around.

One other thing. Dr. Jossart has decided to part company with Pacific

Laparoscopy. His main interest is in laparoscopy and not the DS in

particular, and he has decided to move on (I suppose) before becoming

inextricably entrenched in the DS world. Fortunately, Dr. Rabkin's PA-C

( Rossi) has been assisting in the OR for a year or so, and will

continue to do so; Dr. Jossart's departure should not negatively impact

the level of care or number of surgeries performed.

M.

---

in Valrico, FL, age 39

Starting weight 299, now 156

Starting BMI 49.7, now 26.0

Lap DGB/DS by Dr. Rabkin 10-19-99

http://www.duodenalswitch.com

Direct replies: mailto:melanie@...

_________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

> Dr. Rabkin:

> Dr. Rabkin's staff has been a mess for well over a year now with high

> turnover.

The high turnover, I believe, is because Rabkin actually let almost his

entire staff go about five months ago so that he could start fresh to

try to improve things. I know that he cares deeply about what his

patients are encountering with his staff; during my one-year follow up,

he specifically asked me what my experience had been and also what my

sense was of the overall feeling from patients re: the staff. At that

time, I suppose he was trying to get a realistic sense of how to manage

things -- not long after that, the office staff was history. From what I

understand, the newer people have better people skills, but they are

still working on the overall management and trying to get things to

mesh. Part of the problem is that a local news station ran (and it was

just rerun) a two-part story about Dr. Rabkin and the DS. That threw the

demand for Dr. Rabkin into a frenzied level that they are really trying

hard to manage in the best way possible.

I can also say that while it may not be so easy to get into the loop

there as a patient, once you ARE taken on as a patient, you do have 24/7

access. All patients are given a direct number that they can call at

anytime when they have a problem. Some people have groused about the

nurses and docs taking cellphone calls during appointments. I have had

it happen myself... But I saw it as a positive. If the doc is willing to

take THEIR call right away, that means if and when *I* need an immediate

response, I might be treated the same. The docs and nurses and staff

have a delicate balancing act to perform for pre-ops, peri-ops and

post-ops. It ain't easy, but I know that they are seriously endeavoring

to improve things all around.

One other thing. Dr. Jossart has decided to part company with Pacific

Laparoscopy. His main interest is in laparoscopy and not the DS in

particular, and he has decided to move on (I suppose) before becoming

inextricably entrenched in the DS world. Fortunately, Dr. Rabkin's PA-C

( Rossi) has been assisting in the OR for a year or so, and will

continue to do so; Dr. Jossart's departure should not negatively impact

the level of care or number of surgeries performed.

M.

---

in Valrico, FL, age 39

Starting weight 299, now 156

Starting BMI 49.7, now 26.0

Lap DGB/DS by Dr. Rabkin 10-19-99

http://www.duodenalswitch.com

Direct replies: mailto:melanie@...

_________________________________________________________