Anyone from Jacksonville???

[JaxBandster 11]

I have a quick question for anyone who used Dr Cywes or Dr Pinnar...

Have you ever had any problems with the staff at there office????

My wife and I went for our group appointment on July 25th. After the appointment we asked Karma when our info was going to be filed with insurance..we were told "tomorrow" (which would have been the 26th).

On the 27th I called UMR to make sure our information had been faxed and received. UMR had NOTHING in there system about receiving our info. I called the Doctor's office and was directed to Karma's voicemail, so I left a message. I called back and was transfered to Jaime's voicemail (the woman who does insurance), again I left a message.

Monday July 30th I recieved no call backs from the office. I called Jaime again and was told se was out of the office.

Tuesday July 31st I call and actually get ahold of Jaime. She tells me that she is submitting our information that day!

Today (August 6th) I called UMR to verify they recieved the info for my wife and myself. They are still showing no record of any information faxed to them. I called Jaime again and got here "I am out of the office message"..I called back and asked for the office manager..I was transfered to Rita (I think her name was)..of course I get HER voicemail I left a detailed message and asked that she call me back....the office is now cloased and NOBODY called me back!!!

I am getting rather frustrated with the office staff!! Has anyone else had these problems dealing with them???

If you have the time, please read my experience with them.. It is very detailed but I share in your frustrations. I finally left and am having my surgery done by US Bariatrics in St. Augustine with Dr.s Koppman and Marema.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/150134-dr-robert-cywes-why-i-left-the-practice/

[evanie 0]

Btw Dr. cywes is th BEST !!!!!! I love love love him .. He tells it like it is and I need that !!!!

[ShaunBanded7/23/12 7]

Jville Banders, I was banded 7/23/12 by Dr. Cwyes, I'm doing well, very happy with my 33 pound weight loss. To Scooterbug, just have patients it can take up to 30 days I understand your pain and frustraction take this time to get ready for pre-op diet and new way of eatting. I was bugging BCBS as well got the approval and was asked if I could do the surgery in 3 days (NO WAY I WAS NOT READY) got scheduled for 9 July then rescheduled for 23 July I was upset, mad, depressed loss support of my family but I needed that time to getmy self ready. Do the Low Carbs diet and prep now it will happen so fast. They will get it done trust me.

[JaxBandster 11]

Jville Banders, I was banded 7/23/12 by Dr. Cwyes, I'm doing well, very happy with my 33 pound weight loss. To Scooterbug, just have patients it can take up to 30 days I understand your pain and frustraction take this time to get ready for pre-op diet and new way of eatting. I was bugging BCBS as well got the approval and was asked if I could do the surgery in 3 days (NO WAY I WAS NOT READY) got scheduled for 9 July then rescheduled for 23 July I was upset, mad, depressed loss support of my family but I needed that time to getmy self ready. Do the Low Carbs diet and prep now it will happen so fast. They will get it done trust me.

It's not that they don't eventually get it done, it's that they tell you they are goiing to do something and then they don't. I didn't mind waiting. I'm having to wait an additional three months or more to have my revision surgery because Dr. Koppman wants to wait six months after my band was removed so the scar tissue will have a chance to settle and so I can have additional tests done to make sure I am going to be a good candidate for the sleeve. (Makes sense to me). Anyway, read my post (or not) and see if you would have put up with repeatedly beiing told one thing and then nothing ever being done. I used to be a staunch advocate and defender of Dr. Cywes practice but when he suggested that I get a fill when three weeks prior he had removed my gastric tube from my surgery, I decided it was time to move on. You need to have confidence in your surgeon.

[Scooterbug 13]

Jville Banders, I was banded 7/23/12 by Dr. Cwyes, I'm doing well, very happy with my 33 pound weight loss. To Scooterbug, just have patients it can take up to 30 days I understand your pain and frustraction take this time to get ready for pre-op diet and new way of eatting. I was bugging BCBS as well got the approval and was asked if I could do the surgery in 3 days (NO WAY I WAS NOT READY) got scheduled for 9 July then rescheduled for 23 July I was upset, mad, depressed loss support of my family but I needed that time to getmy self ready. Do the Low Carbs diet and prep now it will happen so fast. They will get it done trust me.

I am well aware that the INSURANCE COMPANY has 30 days to approve or deny it, but it does not take there office 30 days to send in my paperwork. I have planned this for well over a year, and had plenty of time to wrap my head around it. I am already on the LOW CARB diet and have been for 6 months now. My frustration comes from having to play tag with there answering machines, and my information NOT being sent to my insurance company 2 weeks after they said it would!

[Scooterbug 13]

I am well aware that the INSURANCE COMPANY has 30 days to approve or deny it, but it does not take there office 30 days to send in my paperwork. I have planned this for well over a year, and had plenty of time to wrap my head around it. I am already on the LOW CARB diet and have been for 6 months now. My frustration comes from having to play tag with there answering machines, and my information NOT being sent to my insurance company 2 weeks after they said it would!

So to update: After not getting a callback from any one at the office this morning I decided to call again. Jaime's voice mail now says she will be out of the office until Wednesday! I called and asked for Rita who was in a meeting, so I left a message with the desk clerk (I left a lengthy voice mail for her yesterday as well). I still have not heard back from anyone!! My wife even tried calling and was put through to Rita's voice mail!! This is so frustrating!!

One of the reasons I chose this office was because I heard they were the best, and Dr Cywes always said if we needed any questions answered or had any problem to just call and it would get fixed. Well.... unfortunately so far there not living up to that promise.

[JaxBandster 11]

Contact the Program Administrator. Here is her info.

Irene L. Wolfe, LLB, LLM

Practice Administrator

Jacksonville Surgical Associates/Jacksonville

Weight Loss Center

8825 Perimeter Park Blvd. Ste. 101

Jacksonville, FL 32216

(904) 399-4004 ext. 107

(904) 399-3489 fax

(904) 412-3135 mobile

Irene Wolfe [irene@jsapa.com]

[JaxBandster 11]

I got tired of being compared to Lindsey Lohan (addict) and looking at his picture of him and McKenzie Phillips

[Scooterbug 13]

Contact the Program Administrator. Here is her info.

Irene L. Wolfe, LLB, LLM

Practice Administrator

Jacksonville Surgical Associates/Jacksonville

Weight Loss Center

8825 Perimeter Park Blvd. Ste. 101

Jacksonville, FL 32216

(904) 399-4004 ext. 107

(904) 399-3489 fax

(904) 412-3135 mobile

Irene Wolfe [irene@jsapa.com]

So I found her name as Irene L. Wolfe Cywes I take it she is married to Dr. Cywes now. So she is over the Office manager Rita I presume?

[Scooterbug 13]

Contact the Program Administrator. Here is her info.

Irene L. Wolfe, LLB, LLM

Practice Administrator

Jacksonville Surgical Associates/Jacksonville

Weight Loss Center

8825 Perimeter Park Blvd. Ste. 101

Jacksonville, FL 32216

(904) 399-4004 ext. 107

(904) 399-3489 fax

(904) 412-3135 mobile

Irene Wolfe [irene@jsapa.com]

So I called the extension for Irene...of course I got her voice mail. The recording said "This Voice mail is not checked on a regular basis, if you need any help please call extention 108 for Rita" ... This is almost getting to be a joke!

[JaxBandster 11]

Irene is Cywes' wife.

I had more success with email than I did with the phone.

Sorry that you are going through what I did. I know how frustrating it is.

[Scooterbug 13]

Irene is Cywes' wife.

I had more success with email than I did with the phone.

Sorry that you are going through what I did. I know how frustrating it is.

Thanks....

As soon as my wife gets home from work, we are heading straight down to the office. I called UMR again JUST to make sure they weren't overlooking anything (as far as receiving the info from Dr Cywes's office), they checked there entire system and so far they haven't gotten anything from there office.

Maybe I will have better luck in person.

[JaxBandster 11]

Best of luck to you!

[Scooterbug 13]

Best of luck to you!

So Rita finally returned our calls, she called my wife just as she was walking out of work. According to her, she found our information and it looks like it was NEVER sent!! She does not know why it was not sent since Jaime will not be back in the office until tomorrow. So.... supposedly she is gonna find out why it wasn"t sent first thing tomorrow, then personally fax the info into UMR. She is supposed to call us an give us the fax confirmation number as well so we know it goes through.

[k9momma56 1]

I'm a nurse & have been banded nearly a year now. I did alot of research regarding local surgeons & chose Dr. Baptista. They told me on a thursday they were submitting my paperwork to BC/BS & was called the next morning with my approval from them. I was totally amazed.