There is also a clinic in Calgary and you need a referral form from your doctor. It's the Calgary Adult Bariatric clinic. It's on the AHS site but is not the Weight Wise form. Timeframe is about the same as Edmonton and is easily filled with the needed classes and appointments. They are more valuable than you can imagine. If you are accepted and meet the requirements for surgery and mandatory appointments surgical costs are covered by AHS.

Hello Jude

Bariatric surgery is covered under Alberta health but you have to go thru their clinic and a referral is needed from your doc. tjis is the referral for your doc needs to fill out and send. http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/frm-18668.pdf

Its a long process. In Edm it took 8 months from the time the referral was received complete and correct to get you first appt. Then its a good year of appts from dietition, Psychologist, internist, Psychiatrist, nurse, surgeon, ect. Then its a year from the time they all sigh you off for surgery till the actual surgery. Edm is a busy clinic so Medicine Hat may not be as long of a wait.

If you chose to go out of country Alberta health will cover a portion of the cost of surgery only (1500 ish) with the proper paperwork.

Hope this helps

Terry

I started the process in Calgary from an old VBG (they just call it gastroplasty now) and it seems to be pushed along faster actually then someone starting from scratch. I've heard it's even faster in Ed. Than Cal.  It will probably be around a year but I had to,have tests that I waited on too. It goes fast and you have nothing to lose!  Well I guess you do!  ;0)

Hello

I also live in Cold Lake.  For us the closest location for surgery is the Royal Alex Hospital. A referral is needed and the referral form is located here www.albertahealthservices.ca/frm, copy it and take it to your family doctor. All of this is a very long process.  I gave my referral form to my doc in April 2014. Due to the referral not being accepted by the bariatric clinic cause it wasn't filled out correct It was resent and accepted by the clinic in November 2014. I got my first assessment appointment for March 2015.  Then you have appt. with the Internist, Dietetion, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Bariatric surgery Classes. After doing several appointment with all of them and others I haven't seen you will get signed off by the surgeon.  From this time its about a year till surgery. Weight Wise Education Modules are needed and these are available in Cold Lake/Bonnyville area once a year so contact our health unit to sign up for them,it's 13 classes in total.  If you need any more info and want to chat feel free to message me.

Terry

Hi, I am in the process of going through the steps to have a revision from VBG to Bypass through the Edmonton Bariatric Revision clinic and am wondering if anyone has been denied and if so, what was the reason.  I am so scared of being denied the surgery.  Also, for those that have had a revision, how long did it take from first contact to surgery date?  Seems to be quite a long process.

Thanks for any and all your help

Dawn