confused

I was told that I need a referral from my pcp to even be considered for the surgery. I wanted to use Dr Duncan but after calling his office I was told I didn't need a referral cause first you have to attend a seminar which is in sept and then fill out a packet before they will even consider making an appt with you. My question what's the point in getting a referral from your dr and why so much downtime just to get an appt.

You can get in to the seminar without a referral, but if you set up and appt and go without a referral, consider yourself paying out of pocket. An HMO insurance requires a referral from your PCP. Some Doctors in the Atlanta area are better known than others and have extremely long wait times. Not all doctors require a seminar and some do not have the long wait times. However, you should be prepared to have testing done prior to surgery, and this takes some time. Email me directly if you ned to at [email protected]

I was confused by the whole process myself. But finally, the fog is lifting. My surgery is scheduled for Oct 15 with Dr. Duncan. The first step for him is the seminar and packet. This is supposed to be the pre-qualification period. If Duncan's staff determines you are a good candidate for the surgery, you will proceed to the next steps. Those steps will probably depend on the type of insurance coverage you have. For me, I had to see an exercise physiologist and get on an exercise regimen and see a nutritionist and get on a diet regimen. Prior to submitting for insurance approval, I had to provide a letter of medical necessity from my PCP (which is different from a REFERRAL, which my insurance does not require) and a psychological evaluation. Now that I'm approved, I will go back to my PCP for a medical clearance (if you have serious conditions i.e., heart problems, etc. you will need clearances from all appropriate doctors). After that, there's just the pre-op testing at the hospital and the pre-op consultation with Duncan himself. You're just starting out and I know that the whole process seems a little daunting right now, but believe me the time does pass. When I started all of this in February 03, I thought for sure I would not have my surgery this year, but I was wrong. It all moved pretty quickly despite some frustrations and my own impatience. You've chosen one of the best surgeons for this type of laparoscopic surgery and I wish you the very best on your journey. I hope I've helped remedy some of your confusion about the whole process, and I'm here if you have any other questions about my experiences with Dr. Duncan, his staff or the process. Be blessed!