Press release, Dr. Sonnanstine

Exciting Announcement!   Dr. Tom Sonnanstine Joins Georgetown Bariatrics!    We are so pleased to announce that Dr. Sonnanstine is joining our Center of Excellence as Medical Director and Dedicated Bariatric Surgeon, effective April 1, 2009!   Dr. Sonnanstine will be performing RNY Gastric Bypass, Adjustable Gastric Banding, Vertical Gastric Sleeve and Revision Surgery.   Additionally, Dr. Sonnanstine is happy to see any weight loss surgery patient for follow-up care! Tom Sonnanstine M.D. is a native of Marion, OH.  He received his Bachelor of Arts undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH and graduated *** laude.  He completed his 5-year General Surgery Residency at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus.  Following completion of his residency, Dr. Sonnanstine elected to do a 1-year Fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic/Bariatric Surgery at Tuft's/New England Medical Center in Boston, MA.    While in Boston, Dr. Sonnanstine was under the mentorship of Dr. Scott Shikora, the current President of the ASMBS (American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery) and one of the pioneers of Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery.   In 2004, Dr. Sonnanstine relocated to Northern Kentucky's St. Luke West Hospital in Florence.  Dr. Sonnanstine was the founder of the Tristate Surgical Weight Loss Center at the St. Luke Hospitals.  Under Dr. Sonnanstine's leadership, the Center and hospital received designation as a Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery in 2006.  Dr. Sonnanstine is now proud to have been named the Medical Director of the Bariatric Center at Georgetown Community Hospital in Georgetown, KY.  He intends to carry on with and build on the excellent tradition of Bariatric Surgery at Georgetown.  He is a firm believer in the multi-disciplinary approach to Bariatric Surgery with intensive pre-operative education and close, life-long follow-up of the patient directly by the Bariatric Surgeon.    Dr. Sonnanstine has earned an extensive and devoted following among his patients and is well-known for his outstanding surgical skill as well as his unique bedside manner and hands-on approach to his patients.   Through his training and practice of Bariatric Surgery, Dr. Sonnanstine has performed nearly 1,500 Bariatric operation, nearly all Laparoscopic, consisting of Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band, Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass, Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, and Revisional Bariatric Surgery.    Dr. Sonnanstine is very excited to start this next stage of his career with The Bariatric Center at Georgetown Community Hospital.   Dr. Sonnanstine is married to Debbie, a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, who hopes to practice in the Georgetown community.  Tom and Debbie are the proud parents are two wonderful sons.   Dr. Sonnanstine will be presenting at our next seminar, which is being held in Northern Kentucky on March 13th, 7:00 pm at the Hilton Cincinnati Airport.    Welcome to Georgetown, Dr. Sonnanstine!

Toll Free Number 1-888-868-0008. for Georgetown Bariatrics

Hmmm...and didn't Dr C just catch flack from people for his informative post about how his office was willing to assist anyone that may be looking for a Dr to use for their follow-up care that may be unable to find someone or make the trip that far to stay with Dr S?

Seems to me that this is a blatant advertisement for Dr S! Sure hope that he and the facility that he is now associated with gave their permission and their legal department's approval for this press release!

Dr. Curry and Dr. Sonnanstine are just fine Lee Ann.  Let it go..just let it goooooooooooo

Hey Brenda you are a beacon of light my husband Pat and I are going to the seminar tonight just so we can get the low down on how to switch to him.

I am glad he made the switch the last time I saw him which was the day before he left the poor man just looked so sad and down trodden. I hope for both he, his wife and two boys this will be a positive and rewarding move.

So I say congrats Dr. Thom

Wendy and Pat burke

 You posted this advertisement...not I.  You made the joke about Dr C advertising for new patients...not I.  Despite your efforts (or lack of)...you still continue to keep this situation fueled. 

Well, I'm glad you posted it...lol.  I live in Georgetown and there's been 3 surgeons come and go there...they have a good "bariatric" facility at Georgetown Hospital, it would be a shame if they didn't have a new bariatric Dr. there after all of their efforts.  Do you know if people who had their surgery at Gtown and have paid 2 program fees to their bariatric program would have to pay another program fee if they wanted to see Sonnanstine for post-op labs and stuff? 

Not sure.   

let do some digging see what I can find out.

Nene, here is the info I have thus far.
There will be no program fee to see Dr. Sonnanstine as a surgeon..for post-op labs and stuff, as you say.  
However, I am still trying to find out for others if there will be a fee for new incoming pre-ops.  Which the hospital may charge..this fee covers things like the education by the psych as well as dieticians,etc which is not billable to the insurance.   Now that isn't official, I am still trying to find out as I can..I think this is stuff they are working on now.
I am afraid that some may get the idea there is absolutely no program fee ever...I am not not so sure that's the case.  But again in your case you will not need to pay the fee just to see the Doc.

Hope this helps.

I can see that w/ the new patients.  I always thought the fee was for the psych, support groups, and maybe to help cover the cost of all of the bariatric-friendly equipment they've been getting.  I'm looking for revision options right now, but I don't really know if I want a band-over-pouch, and I'm not sure if he does revisions other than that.  (I don't qualify for any of the endoscopic revisions, either...lol)  I don't know if I'd have to pay the fee to ask that (I have copies of all my scopes and measurements and stuff.)  The fee doesn't bother me as much as the "paying the fee, then not getting helped" thing...though a discount or something would be nice for someone who's already paid gtown around $900 in fees...lol.  :P

But just knowing he would do labs and I guess help if any post-op dilemmas come along for us (like my "staples that came loose" inside) is comforting.  I definetely need new labs...It's been a yr now since my last one (9 vials of blood and I only got half the results back- the CBC, not the important vitamin/protein results  ), and 2 yrs since I was horribly anemic and had to have an iron infusion.  So that's good to know :) 

Here is the latest word I have.  There is no program fee period!!!!