Choosing a surgeon

[Holly06 0]

Do I choose a surgeon or does my insurance?

If I have to pick from a list how will I know which one is right?

I got a list from the lap band site. The closest ones to me didn't perform 75 procedures within the last year. Is that vital?

[YngGram 73]

I want to be the one to choose. The number of procedures they performed is very important to me. I am driving a little over an hour, but the two that were closest to me didn't feel right for me. One of them was at a Center of Excellence, but the manner was just off enough for me to keep looking. My surgery is next week and I think I feel better about it because of the choice I made. Good Luck

[Jodi_620 37]

Do I choose a surgeon or does my insurance?

If I have to pick from a list how will I know which one is right?

I got a list from the lap band site. The closest ones to me didn't perform 75 procedures within the last year. Is that vital?

1.) Whether you get to choose depends on what type of insurance you have. If you have a HMO you will need to choose from their list. If you have a PPO you can choose your own doctor but you get better rates if you choose one from their preferred list.

2.) If you have to choose from a list, gather the names and research each doctor.

3.) Whether the numbers of surgeries the surgeon performed are vital or not is up to you. There are other things to consider as well. Go to seminars given by each of the surgeons, listen to what they have to say and ask lots of questions.

[HeatherO 7]

Jodi said it all!!! You can probably choose within a list. Definitely try to research and make an informed decision.

Experience is important and I wouldn't want to be within the first 100 procedures a surgeon performs . . . I know someone has to be, I just don't want it to be me. For me it was well worth going out of town to have a trusted, admired and experienced surgeon place my band.

Good luck!!!