Looking for a great DR. in Phoenix area

HI all, I just got my refferal letter from Mercy Care, and the Dr. they put down is a "general Surgeon", and I want to call and change that to someone that speacializes in wls. I am on ACCCHS right now and I know not many accept that, but any help would be great!! I want to call on Monday and get this ball rolling for me, as I have been thinking about this for about 2 yeas now! TIA, Sarah

hello tia sarah I also have Accchs AP-IPA and just had my consultation with a great surgeon in phoenix named DR Juarez he has such a great bedside manner about him and seems like he genuinely cares about his patients which i dont find often about doctors he was very informative on everything good and bad about the surgery all the risks involved and anserwed all the questions i had for him with a great warmth of honesty i have rave reviews about him i also researched him out i know that there are two law suits against him that are pending two women are sueing him after having complications with the surgery .. so i researched that the reason why there sueing is because they say he didnt explain to them the risks long enough ... im sorry but before you ave the surgery you have to complete two seminars that he dr juarez explains completly all risks involved the number one is death ... but the percent rates of that happening are 1/2 to 3 % out of 100 that death could happen and that depends on your health and weight so i dont understand where the women get that he did somethiing wrong .. but when things dont go as you expect some people like to blame others .. but anyways you can always talk with me anytime im barely going through this whole process but i have great knowledge from years of research he is in the st lukes hospital at the bridges centre heres his number and address 1800 e van buren phoenix az 85006 phone number is 602 251-8828 i was told that he was the only surgeon for accchs but there are others also i just have them off hand ... i think hes the best ... good luck sarah

Sarah, I went to Arizona Bariatrics which is the practice for Dr Steven Simon and Dr Alan Newhoff. Both doctors accept Mercy Care. Dr Simon does the Laproscopic RNY and Dr Newhoff does the Open RNY. I believe Dr Newhoff has been doing WLS the longest in the state of Arizona. They are both great doctors. Good Luck Veronica Post Op since 3/16/06

Veronica, Did you ahve the open or the lap? I really didn't want to have the open since I already have a huge scar from my c-sections, but if that way is safer, I will probably go with that. I just got my referral letter and they gave me a Dr. named Z. Tahir, ever heard of him? I think I am going to call on Monday and try to change Dr's to one that someone has atleast heard of. Thanks for the info and congrats on your surgery! Sarah

This is from the bomex site for this dr: General Information S. Zubair Tahir MD 7525 E Broadway Rd Ste 8 Mesa Arizona 85208-1156 Phone: 480-854-8124 License Number: 19801 License Status: Active License Date: 1/2/1991 License Renewed: 10/26/2005 Renew By: 12/2007 License Expires: 04/2008 Education and Training (a) Medical School: KING GEORGE'S MED COLL, LUCKNOW UNIV LUCKNOW, INDIA Graduation Date: 5/31/1974 Residency: 6/25/1975 - 6/25/1976 (General Surgery) WORCESTER CITY HOSPITAL WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS Residency: 7/1/1976 - 6/30/1980 (General Surgery) SACRED HEART HOSPITAL NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA (b) Area of Interest: General Surgery (ABMS Board Certified) Board Investigations and Actions BOARD ACTIONS: 0 NON DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS: 0 * OPEN INVESTIGATIONS: 0 * Open investigations represent unproven allegations - Upon investigation many complaints are found to be without merit and dismissed. Malpractice/Criminal Information CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS / "NO CONTEST" PLEAS: 0 (d) MALPRACTICE CASES RESULTING IN PAYMENT: 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I personally would only use one of the local KNOWN Bariatric Surgeons. Dateline NBC did a big story on general surgeons about a year ago. GS who say they can do bariatric surgery after quick weekend training but you want a surgeon with tons of experience and this being the only thing they do --day in and day out. The mortality rate & complication rate is much higher for a general surgeon who hasn't done many bariatric surgeries and that is for me one of the most important things: background, EXPERIENCE and the knowledge of everything bariatric.

JMF, Thank you so much for finding the info on that Dr. for me, I called this morning and he doesn't even do the wls's. So I now have to get a hold of my Dr.s referral office and get them, to switch Dr.'s for me. I think I am going to try Dr. Simpson. Thanks again. Sarah