Pre-Op Visits
Our weight loss program consists of a step-by-step process for ensuring that each patient is a good candidate for weight loss surgery. Education is the first step in this process. Patients are required to learn about the procedure by participating in seminars provided by the bariatric staff. Once a patient has either attended a live seminar or completed an online seminar, they will be ready to start the next step in their journey.
The preoperative process is different for each patient, because each person has unique health problems and also different insurance company requirements. This will usually involve up to six supervised weight loss visits required by the patient’s insurance company. They are generally done in our office to streamline the process, but can be done with your primary physician.
An initial visit starts with taking your height, weight and vital signs. We then conduct a thorough history and physical exam. Based upon your medical condition and past medical problems additional testing or clearance for surgery may be ordered. As part of the standard consult process, a patient will see the Registered Dietician and either a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Psychologist for preoperative teaching and clearance. Once these have been completed, our staff will submit the information to the insurance company for approval.
Two to three weeks prior to the surgery date, a preoperative appointment will be scheduled. At this appointment the surgeon will review the procedure, answer any questions, and update any changes in the medical history and conduct a physical exam. The patient will also see the anesthesiologist for a preoperative evaluation. The preoperative diet will begin 2 weeks prior to the scheduled surgery date. The purpose of the diet is to shrink the liver to allow the surgeon better visualization to safely perform the surgery.
