Do Not Go To Betencourt Medical

[sophrosyne 0]

Unfortunately, it's hard to do "research" on doctors. Whether they're here or in Mexico. For everyone promoting research, please, fill me in on how this research is done.

I have the ability to do more research on certain segments of doctors than most of the population, because of the profession I'm in.

Without access to the databases I use, without access to the hundreds of medical professionals who will be more upfront with me than they will be with the average joe, without access to the lawyers I know and their databases and court access...

Please, tell me how the average person can do this research?

All the Med Board tells you is if someone's licensed or if they've had malpractice suits. No details.

And I've seen people post on boards, asking about doctors (including this board) and get no response.

And doctors generally don't give you patient lists so you can chat with former patients.

For the horrific story about the poor woman who is now dying from her surgeon's incompetence... what surgery was it (hope it wasn't lapband). And why wasn't the name of her surgeon/hospital mentioned? It's one thing to share horrific experiences, but why not blow the whistle on who the incompetent bastard was?

Even in forums that share horror stories, there are not many people who will take the extra step and name the offender/s.

So, how exactly are people supposed to research doctors? Especially doctors in other countries?

P.S.: Me, personally, I would never go to Mexico or India or the Phillipines for surgery. It has nothing to do with their skills, but my own personal hang-ups. Which says that if I can't drink the Water because my body wouldn't be able to handle the bacteria, then the last thing I want is my body surgically open and defenseless against any native bacteria that might seep in.

[FurEllie 0]

Unfortunately, it's hard to do "research" on doctors. Whether they're here or in Mexico. For everyone promoting research, please, fill me in on how this research is done.

Personally, I used the internet a lot. I read articles, message boards, ordered a few books, etc. In addition my doctor here has been a good friend of mine for over 30 years so I got him to do some checking for me too

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

WABB - where did you get that list? Do you have a similar one for Georgia? Like you, I was banded by Dr. Ortiz and am VERY, VERY pleased, but if an emergency should arise, I've realized I need to have someone w/in ASAP driving distance

I was banded in Mexico but by Dr. Aceves. Dr. Aceves has a database of docs on his website. I looked up Georgia and this is what I found:

Tidus Duncan

Atlanta

404 881 8020

$175 w/o Fluroro, $250 w/Fluoro

Darlene Zebley, ARNP

Moultrie

Fill Centers USA - Weight Loss Surgery - Bariatric Surgery - Gastric Bypass Surgery - Lap Band Surgery Information and Support

DZebley@fillcentersusa.com

866 345 5872

$299 initial then $155.00 for each additional fill.

Dr. Rick Finley

Woodstock

404 688 1934

HORRIBLY EXPENSIVE! $1720 + $500 to review records prior to fill, practices with McKernan.

Barry McKernan

770 924 8808

$1,900 because they require an upper GI, etc. Person who went to him claims he is very rude and mean.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looks like the first one would be your best bet however, if you have an emergency your insurance should cover the last two in a pinch.

[FurEllie 0]

I was banded in Mexico but by Dr. Aceves. Dr. Aceves has a database of docs on his website. I looked up Georgia and this is what I found:

Looks like the first one would be your best bet however, if you have an emergency your insurance should cover the last two in a pinch.

Many thanks!! I will call the first guy today and see what I need to do if there's an emergency. The Moultrie place is 6.5+ hour drive so it would almost be faster to go to TJ, lol.

I don't know why I thought you had gone to Ortiz - sorry about that!!

[DrewsLou 3]

P.S.: Me, personally, I would never go to Mexico or India or the Phillipines for surgery. It has nothing to do with their skills, but my own personal hang-ups. Which says that if I can't drink the Water because my body wouldn't be able to handle the bacteria, then the last thing I want is my body surgically open and defenseless against any native bacteria that might seep in.

I agree with this 100%. I could never (and still can't) wrap my head around having surgery in a country that you can't even drink the Water in. Like you, I suppose that is just my own personal hang up.

[Marimaru 7]

The Water in those countries doesn't have the issues it used to. For Mexico, most of the bigger towns and tourist areas have adopted American plumbing as well. I will also mention that I have been to Mexico dozens of times (before my surgery with some of them after), in popular areas, and less popular areas, and I have never once gotten sick. And most of the restaurants now serve bottled Water, probably to try and get people to come there.

I don't blame you for the hangup, I do understand it, but at least in Mexico, it's just not an issue like it used to be.

[Evilah 1]

dang plumbing. causin polio epidemics and all....

Evilah

[sophrosyne 0]

Okay, just a surreal moment here...

There are at least TWO threads warning people against Betancourt and Dr. Huacuz(sp?).

On one of these threads, BubbleButt says she actively warns people against this surgeon.

But there is also at least ONE thread saying that this same doctor is the BEST THING SINCE SLICED bread.< /p>

So, depending on which thread you have the fortune (or misfortune) of reading, you're totally screwed.

[ibchelle76 0]

I Was Banded In Bakersfield, Ca By Dr Irani And He Is Good - I Researched Him Good - I Even Went To Support Groups Be Fore Surgery To Talk To His Patients..

[NoWorry 0]

Someday I am going to put together something for people to research docs in the US and Mexico. If people don't check up on a doc's track record regardless of country that can lead to unnecessary complications and problems.

I wonder if this information is already available through INAMED?

[innertube 0]

please respond private and tell me the Dr. you used

[janed 0]

I used dr. Patel. I really like him and his P.A. They are great and have great prices. One thing that is unique about his office I find is they really care about the mechanics of how the band is working and just don't want to give you a fill and send you on your way. I was very impressed and recommend. They have offices in Austin and San Antonio.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I wonder if this information is already available through INAMED?

What information? How to research doctors? Nope, they do not do that. Inamed will not get overly involved in which doctor you go to, just like every other banding company they want you to buy a band from any doctor.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Unfortunately, it's hard to do "research" on doctors. Whether they're here or in Mexico. For everyone promoting research, please, fill me in on how this research is done.

I have the ability to do more research on certain segments of doctors than most of the population, because of the profession I'm in.

Without access to the databases I use, without access to the hundreds of medical professionals who will be more upfront with me than they will be with the average joe, without access to the lawyers I know and their databases and court access...

Please, tell me how the average person can do this research?

All the Med Board tells you is if someone's licensed or if they've had malpractice suits. No details.

And I've seen people post on boards, asking about doctors (including this board) and get no response.

And doctors generally don't give you patient lists so you can chat with former patients.

For the horrific story about the poor woman who is now dying from her surgeon's incompetence... what surgery was it (hope it wasn't lapband). And why wasn't the name of her surgeon/hospital mentioned? It's one thing to share horrific experiences, but why not blow the whistle on who the incompetent bastard was?

Even in forums that share horror stories, there are not many people who will take the extra step and name the offender/s.

So, how exactly are people supposed to research doctors? Especially doctors in other countries?

P.S.: Me, personally, I would never go to Mexico or India or the Phillipines for surgery. It has nothing to do with their skills, but my own personal hang-ups. Which says that if I can't drink the Water because my body wouldn't be able to handle the bacteria, then the last thing I want is my body surgically open and defenseless against any native bacteria that might seep in.

It's really not hard to research doctors, what is hard is taking the time to verify everything you are told about doctors. You can't just depend on what patient coordinators (posing as patients, not telling you they get a commission if you have surgery by their doctor) to tell you what you want to know. They will tell you what you want to hear.

The average person can begin the research process with the link in my sig.

In the US the board will only give out certain information on the phone. However, if you drive to their office you can typically view the entire file they have on the doctor.

People asking about doctors on boards like this do get responses. The problem is that they have no way of knowing if it is a skanky patient coordinator responding or an actual patient. The other problem is that most patients seem to go through a honeymoon phase after surgery. It's typical with all WLS types. They love their doc and love their surgery type. I wouldn't listen to how much someone loves their doctor until they are a year out or so. Then they have had a year to lose weight and see what kind of support they get from their MD office. Any doc is on his best behavior before surgery, he wants your business. The real test is the year following surgery. How supportive was he? Was he available to you? Could you go to the office and see the doctor vs. his staff? Were they there through thick and thin? That's the key to asking patients about their doctors. Don't ask them when they are in the honeymoon stage, ask people that have been dealing with the same doc and staff a year following their surgery.

Incompetent doctors... hard telling. Some patients are very high risk, if they don't get surgery they will eat themselves to death. Yet they are still high risk. Some docs only take the easy low risk cases. Some docs CAN do the high risk as safely as it can be done, they are going to have a mortality stat. If someone dies they didn't necessarily do anything wrong, sometimes the patient just didn't make it. The docs can't control every aspect of patient care, if they could nobody would ever die. So you kind of have to know both sides of the story before you can determine if a doctor was bad or not, or if he was at fault or not.

I am one that exposes the bad docs, look at my posts. I get hammered by the patient coordinators for doing it. But I keep coming back and doing it anyway. I tell the horror stories, I offer the backgrounds, I tell everything I know, I provide a link to start the research process. I get hammered for it. Makes no difference to me, I don't give a rat's behind what a bunch of skanky patient coordinators think of me. They can kiss my newly skinny back side. ;o) I figure we are all in this together and if we don't take care of each other, who will? If we don't share information and expose the bad doctors then people will not be able to research well and they will end up victims as well.

You are right, your feelings about surgery out of the country is your hang up and not based on facts. The Water doesn't have a darn thing to do with the quality of skill or ability to keep an OR clean. We have problems in the US and patients don't bat an eye at that, we have doctors doing surgery drunk. We have nurses and doctors having sex on the OR table you will be having surgery on. Wet spot anyone??? We have doctors doing surgery that shouldn't be working in a restaurant let alone an OR. We have convicted pedophiles working as licensed pediatricians in Phoenix, Arizona. We have one horror after another in the good 'ol USA. That doesn't phase us. But they drink bottled water in other countries and to us, that is an absolute horror.

Let me tell you, some hospitals in Mexico and other countries have lower infection stats than the US. You are free to risk infection in the US (comparatively speaking) yet you won't have to drink your water out of a bottle. It's a choice.

[MacMadame 81]

People asking about doctors on boards like this do get responses. The problem is that they have no way of knowing if it is a skanky patient coordinator responding or an actual patient.

There are some clues that can help you though. I find it pretty easy to spot the "real" posters because they post like real people. The PCs have few posts and they only post about a particular doctor. Generally, they leave no clues as to their real life either. Real posters talk about their jobs, their friends and families, their weight loss, their symptoms, etc. The coordinators haven't got time to do that. Though that doesn't weed out a real person who came here for support with their own band and is also a patient coordinator, of course.

Generally though, I don't pay much attention to the "my doctor is great" posts. I look for the negative ones. :biggrin: The hack doctors have patients who almost died for no good reason, for example. I also pay attention when people complain about the office staff. You see them WAY more than the doctor. If the office overall is slow about responding to questions, doesn't do a good job with the insurance paperwork, etc. then that's something to give me pause.

There is also ObesityHelp.com where there are tons of patient comments for every doctor I've looked up. However, after I registered there, I started getting tons of emails and even phone calls for "Mr. Mac Madame" the name I gave when I registered. So I'm pretty sure they sell your registration info to others. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't have registered as you don't need to in order to read the patient comments.

Finally, I used your How to Research a Mexican Doctor thread and came up with a list of questions for the docs in my area that my insurance covers and ended up on my short list. I'm sending them off now. :biggrin: