Wait times for referrals

Hello all,

Could anyone tell me what the current wait times are? 
 

HI,
I think it depends on who you get reffered to.  Some doctors have a much longer waiting time than others.

I have been told that people have been waiting for 1 1/2 years to see a doc for their first appt, others have waited longer and some much less.
I know that doesn't specifically answer your question.  Do you have a referal to a doctor already? 
sandi

Yes, it depends on whom you see. Dr Amson is 18-24 months for the first appointment and then 3+ years for surgery.
Dr Malik is alot quicker, although how long I'm not sure. I got referred to Dr Rusnak last May, took about six weeks to see him,  but then he retired last summer. I met Dr Malik who took over his case load in September and just got my date for May 4th :)

My referral though, was during a time where nobody really realized that Dr Rusnak/Malik was doing it!!!!!

Good luck!

Dr Malik? Does he have any special criteria for his referrals?? What surgeries does he offer?

I was also refferrred to Dr. Rusnak last June and my wait time for an appointment was 3 months.  I went a different route and never actually saw Dr. Malik or Rusnak and I had my surgery done in Seattle 4 days after I was scheduled for my 1st appointment with Dr. Malik.

So happy to hear that you got your date BBW!

As far as I know Dr. Malik doesn't have any more special criteria than any other surgeon, he does expect you to keep and exercise and food journal, and to try and lose weight.  He may also send you for a pysche evaluation.

Hi there.  I've seen Dr. Malik twice now.  He will send you for a lot of tests (Psychiatric Evaluation, Abdomen Ultrasound, Colonoscopy, Dietician and Endocrinologist).  He will then want you to keep and start a food/exercise journal and lose at least 10% of your body weight before he will give you a surgery date.  It took me very little time to get in to see him, but I'm just now working on the food/exercise journal and weight loss.  I see him again in August.

Good Luck!

Well sounds much like the same as the program I was to attend. Does he have a max bmi's he'll accept?

Not that I know of.  You could always phone Kara, his assistant and find out.  I do know that Malik was very pointed about the difficulty with surgery when you have a lot of extra abdominal tissue / fat. 

i'll need the info for my Dr then. I believe he sent referrals to edmonton, regina and a local program to be started soon.

Dr. Malik never said anything to me at either appointment about BMI.  Just to get the tests done (first appointment) and then to review the tests and tell me about the 10% weight loss and the journalling (second appointment). 

I think if I were starting again, I would go with Dr. Malik.  Who wants to weight 18 months just for an appointment?

Good Luck!