Re: Asking for advice (long post)

[Guest guest]

lives in Chicagoland., and she is an Elariny alumna for lap

DS. Perhaps she could give you some pointers.

--Steve

At 9:26 AM -0500 12/9/01, Bdrai@... wrote:

>I'd really appreciate some advice.

>

>I've been researching WLS for a long time and am pretty sure I would like to

>have DS surgery, preferably done laparoscopically. I have a PPO--Great West

>Insurance Co. I haven't tried to get insurance approval yet, but have been

>attempting to do all my " homework " first. I live in Chicago, but of course

>there are no DS surgeons in the Chicago area. (Sigh...) I attended a few

>support groups in New York, and was leaning toward having the surgery done

>there by Dr. Ren--but (of course) she's not in my PPO's network.

>

> I have looked up all of the names of doctors that I know do lap DS, and the

>only ones I have found so far that are in my PPO's network are these:

>

>Drs. Rabkin, Jossart, , Scholten, Vanguri, and Elariny.

>

>I would love to hear from any of you postops which doctors you would

>recommend. Some of the factors I need to consider are:

>

>1) Is the doctor experienced in doing lap DS and comfortable with the

>procedure (and, of course, competent)?

>

>2) Is the staff at that doctor's hospital capable, caring, and supportive? Is

>the hospital experience relatively positive?

>

>3) I will have to travel to that hospital from Chicago. Are the facilities

>close to an airport and easy to access? Are there facilities nearby where

>out-of-towners can stay after surgery for a while if necessary--possibly

>where amenities such as a recliner or microwave and refrigerator can be

>arranged?

>

>4) I may have to do this alone. Is there a decent home nurse I could hire to

>help me during my recuperation immediately after being released from the

>hospital (and maybe immediately postop in the hospital if the hospital staff

>is overburdened and not very helpful or responsive)?

>

>5) If the doctor is in my PPO's network, does s/he accept the insurance

>payment as his/her full payment? If s/he isn't in the network, how much does

>s/he charge? (Dr. Herron brought this to my attention. He made it sound as if

>some doctors might be less expensive even if they are out of network than

>others who charge more than the insurance co. would be willing to pay.)

>

>6) ??? Are there other factors I'm missing that I should be considering?

>

>I would appreciate any advice you can give me, either here in the group or

>privately to my email address.

>

>Thank you in advance!

>

>B.

>

>----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

B,

Here goes the best answer I can give.

>

> 1) Is the doctor experienced in doing lap DS and comfortable with

the

> procedure (and, of course, competent)?

Dr. Jossart, my surgeon, is the Director of Laproscopic Surgery for

the CPMC hospital. He's a wiz! I love him and he got me through a

real touch surgery since I have shredding tissues of all things!

(Knew I should have asked God for brawny!)

>

> 2) Is the staff at that doctor's hospital capable, caring, and

supportive? Is

> the hospital experience relatively positive?

The nurses to a person were Excellent at CPMC. I never had one

complaint. Now, there were two nurses aids...both male, that sucked,

but I was able to work around them.

>

> 3) I will have to travel to that hospital from Chicago. Are the

facilities

> close to an airport and easy to access? Are there facilities nearby

where

> out-of-towners can stay after surgery for a while if necessary--

possibly

> where amenities such as a recliner or microwave and refrigerator

can be

> arranged?

The airport is 17 miles from Downtown San Francisco. I understand

that there is a hotel that CPMC and or the doctor uses for out of

town patients recovery. I was told that the cost is $50 bucks a day,

but I have no direct info on this. I do think we could get you the

low down, though. I also recommend a wonderful Inn in San Bruno which

is 13 miles from downtown SF. Its wonderful, inexpensive...

(relatively) clean and convenient.

>

> 4) I may have to do this alone. Is there a decent home nurse I

could hire to

> help me during my recuperation immediately after being released

from the

> hospital (and maybe immediately postop in the hospital if the

hospital staff

> is overburdened and not very helpful or responsive)?

I am sure I could find this out for you, but don't feel you would

need this kind of help at CPMC.

>

> 5) If the doctor is in my PPO's network, does s/he accept the

insurance

> payment as his/her full payment? If s/he isn't in the network, how

much does

> s/he charge? (Dr. Herron brought this to my attention. He made it

sound as if

> some doctors might be less expensive even if they are out of

network than

> others who charge more than the insurance co. would be willing to

pay.)

Dr. Jossart has set fees. Being new to having his own practice, I

don't know how negotiable he would be on this. Although he just set

up his own practice, he was Dr. Rabkin's associate for 2 years, and

learned under Dr. Gagner in New York. He is the premiere Laproscopic

surgeon on the west coast.

>

> 6) ??? Are there other factors I'm missing that I should be

considering?

No, I think the surgeons qualifications need to be evaluated first,

second, how professional is the staff. Do they give accurate

information? How accessible is the surgeon to your questions and

issues? Third, do you have confidence in both the surgeon and the

facility he/she works in? Fourth, what hidden costs are involved in

relation to insurance, support fees, travel, lodging, etc.?

>

> I would appreciate any advice you can give me, either here in the

group or

> privately to my email address.

>

> Thank you in advance!

>

> B.

I hope some of this information helps. If I can get you more info,

please feel free to contact me. Also, you might like to lurk at Dr.

Jossarts board to see what other patients feel about him... the addy

is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DS_Jossart

Hugs,

Theresa

Surgery date: DS Nov. 19, 2001

Dr. Gregg Jossart

Highest weight: 293

Surgery weight: 251

Current weight: 227

Height: 5' 7.5 "