Hurley in Flint

[faithmd 14]

Hello all, I will be seeing Dr. Obeid at Hurley's bariatric center in Flint on 3/20/2007. I went to an information session he conducted and I have to say I really liked his refreshing honesty. But having been a Michigander all my life and working in the healthcare field, I haven't heard lots good about Hurley as a hospital. Can anyone offer some more insight?

thanks!!

[Margi 0]

Faith, I grew up in Montrose which is near Flint. I have been to Hurley many many times in my life. It is the best! I have also always heard that Hurley is the best!!

[Alexmom 0]

Hello Faith,

My surgery was done by Dr. Farhan at Hurley. This was the worse hospital experience I have ever had. After surgery, you usually need 1-2 hours in the recovery room, well, Hurley's staff had me there for over 10 hours on my back, on a small, narrow stretcher. So needless to say, I had an achy back for days afterward.

My surgery was done on 10/31, and I have not seen my surgeon since. He is only in the office on Wed. mornings. No other surgeon wants to do my fills, so the NP does it and has gotten it wrong twice. I want a new doctor.

However, the staff is very nice, but that really doesnt matter if the service stinks.

[Josette 2]

oh my god.. 10 hours???? Yikes!!!!

At port huron my surgery was at 8 and I was back to my room within 3 hours and walked from the bed into my room to my bed.

[Suz 1]

I'm sure by now you've gotten a new surgeon as Dr. Obeid is having a crisis. I heard he had a stroke, but that's just gossip and may or may not be true. I was supposed to be banded by him on March 22. Now I am set for surgery with Dr. Farhan on May 1st. April 19 it will be THREE years since I started this journey. My insurance company apparantly thought I wouldn't tough it out. Fools.

I have never met Dr. Farhan and will not meet him until the day of my surgery. That makes me nervous. I also don't know if there's enough of the liquid diet stuff to go for the 3 weeks they want me on it because I was on day 4 or 5 when they called about Dr. Obeid. But after surgery I can find substitutes if I still need to after 2 weeks.

I have also heard good and bad about Hurley. It seems people either love it or hate it. I just don't need the extra stress. I don't know my doctor, don't know if the hospital will make things worse or better, hope I can deal with "head hunger", and to top it off I asked my husband not to tell his side of the family because they are are all skinny and just don't get it, but he blabbed. Hurley is a 2 hour drive and there are no support groups anywhere near me. Sorry for all the boo-hoo but that's what these forums are for isn't it? Suz PS: Can anyone tell me anything about Dr. Jamal Farhan?

[Alexmom 0]

Well, as I have said, Dr. Farhan is a really busy man. I have seen him twice in my journey. Once in June for my initial consult, he was very attentive and answered all of my questions, then on the day of surgery for about 5 seconds. When I finally made it to my room, Dr. Wagner released me to go home. Dr. Wagner also did my fill once, but almost kind of begrudinglly, as I waited in the office until closing time for about 3 hours (My appt was at 3:15, I didnt leave until 6:30). And Dr. Farhan is only in the office on Wednesday mornings, so if you have a job and want him to do your fills, good luck. The nurse practioner did mine 4 times, and 2 of those times she missed my port and didnt put anything in. So, you might want to request Dr. Wagner as he has good hours, and is in the office regularly.

Good luck!

[Suz 1]

My surgery is May 1st, too late to change surgeons again. Will they let you switch surgeons after surgery, for fills? What are you doing? Suz

[faithmd 14]

Hi Suz, sorry I haven't written yet. I think you can schedule your fills with whoever you want.

I would find it hard to believe Dr, Obeid had a stroke, but I suppose it is possible. I say that I find it hard to believe because when Hurley called to change my first consultation appointment with Dr Obeid, they changed it to one week later and told me that he had a family emergency was hoping to be back in a week or so. Then the next week they called and changed the time and told me I'd be seeing Dr. Wagner because Dr. Obeid would be out for longer than originally anticipated. I would have thought if he had a stroke, they would have known he wasn't coming back anytime soon the first time they called me and would have changed my surgeon then. I did overhear some discussion in the office about him having to go back to Damascus for something serious in the family, but I don't know if that was true or not. Not really any of my business, but I thought he was a really nice man and I really liked his honesty, I was looking forward to having him as my surgeon. I hope all is okay with him soon.

I met Dr. Wagner after a three hour wait on my consult day, the whole staff at the office were wonderful. Dr. Wagner answered even my most pointed questions without wriggling once. I appreciated his candor and the time he took with me despite the late time of day.

I have heard from many people that the MD's are the ones you want to do the fills.

[Suz 1]

So you're having Wagner do your surgery? When they called me about changing my surgery date because of Dr. Obeid they said it was a family crisis and I could wait for him if I wanted to but they couldn't say whether it would be a week or a month or what. I decided to wait for him. Then someone told me he had a stroke so I just decided whether it was true or not I just needed to get it done already, I've already waited 3 years. So I hope he didn't have a stroke, but whatever it is it doesn't sound like fun. So you think Dr Wagner will do fills for Dr. Farhans' patients? There's no way I can get there in the morning, any morning. It's a 2 hour drive one way not to mention about $30.00 worth of gas. Suz

[faithmd 14]

BooBooKitty on here was Dr. Farhan's patient and really liked him.

When I was at Hurley, I specifically asked the nurse in my pre-op consultation who does the fills. Is it a only your surgeon, or is it any surgeon or a PA or a nurse, etc? She told me that many people do them and depending on the day you need an appointment it could be anyone of them (that you make the appointment with, I mean).

She also told me that some insurances require an MD (and it could BA ny of the surgeons there) to do the fill (I think the car companies' insurance plans) and after reading all I've read and in talking with BooBooKitty, I will be fudging a little white lie and telling them my insurance told me that I have to have an MD as well.

[faithmd 14]

Ooops, I meant to say: and it could be any of the surgeons there

(The edit feature isn't working well for me)

The nurse also said since they are a practice, the surgeons support each other's patients.

[Alexmom 0]

Well, I'm really considering requesting a referral for another doc/surgeon closer to me. I only live about 30 minutes away, but I have to take the whole day off to schedule on Wednesday morning and still the nurse practioner does the fill. Now, dont get me wrong she is very nice and actually found the port the last two times, but she is always asking the nurse, how much do you think she needs? Do you think she got it? And actually the last time, which was two weeks ago, she coached the nurse through it, so I reallly dont know what is going on with Hurley. I know when Farhan is there (on Wed. morning) he is mostly doing consults. I really like the staff, but everything is just so inconvienent.

[faithmd 14]

Well, I'm really considering requesting a referral for another doc/surgeon closer to me. I only live about 30 minutes away, but I have to take the whole day off to schedule on Wednesday morning and still the nurse practioner does the fill. Now, dont get me wrong she is very nice and actually found the port the last two times, but she is always asking the nurse, how much do you think she needs? Do you think she got it? And actually the last time, which was two weeks ago, she coached the nurse through it, so I reallly dont know what is going on with Hurley. I know when Farhan is there (on Wed. morning) he is mostly doing consults. I really like the staff, but everything is just so inconvienent.

How about trying to schedule a fill with Dr. Wagner instead? And perhaps tell them that your insurance company is giving you grief about having a non-MD do your fills. I hate lying, but I HATE needles MORE and I'll lie to get an easier fill!

Another idea is calling your insurance to find out the coverage for a fill with fluoro, and then insist on a fill with fluoro (so they can see) which I believe will (in Hurley's practice) be done by a surgeon.

[faithmd 14]

I just read on OH that Dr. Obeid is doing well and will be back in a month or two. No one yet knows what the problem was, but apparently he was quite ill himself. So it is very possible that he did have a stroke.

I don't need to know what was wrong with him, but I wish Hurley would have not lied to me and told me I'd be able to see Dr. Obeid in a week (way back when) and instead would have just said he is ill and won't be back for a while, you'll need to reschedule with another surgeon.

It would have made it easier and I would have made the choice sooner to go with Dr. Wagner instead.

Oh well, it's over now, I've chosen Dr. Wagner, Dr. Obeid is expected to be back in a month or two if he continues to recover well and life is fine.

[jillia 0]

I had lapband surgery at Port Huron and I am quite satisfied. I do have a 4 hour drive there and 4 hour drive back. I live in Oscoda.

It's quite a way, but I am confident that Dr. Bhesania is the best.

I've lost over 50 pounds now since last June.

jillia