Boston,Massachusetts seeking info on Dr. Thayer and Dr. Chile.

Hello, Has anyone had experience with either Dr. Thayer or Dr. Chile at the Newton Wellesley hospital? Please share your thoughts with me. I am pre-surgery.

Thayer was my surgeon; don't know Dr. Chile - would that be Gazmuri? The Newton-Wellesley practice is well known for the excellence of their surgeons, and they have a very good, streamlined pre-op program. They deal with insurances so you don't have to. Their post-op support system is very good if you are within driving distance. Thayer is a great surgeon, whose attitude I like very much. He doesn't look at someone fat, fifty, and female, and then assume "Stupid". He has dry sense of humor, and will answer your questions fully (if you give him time to finish his thoughts too). He even gave me a photocopy of his official surgery notes, so I could better understand the gall-bladder surgery he had to do along with my RNY. Thayer is on the surgical teaching faculty at Tufts (may even be associate chief surgeon - I forget). The others in his practice are also well thought of: Gazmuri's bedside manner is praised by those who are fearful and want reassurance, and Dr. Partridge, their lap surgeon, is well-trained and very up-front with patients. Thayer is on the MA board that is pushing for higher standards for WLS in general, to prevent the growth of poorly trained store-front practices that have higher complication rates and that seem to result in whole states balking at paying for the surgery (e.g., Florida). On the other hand, their nutritionists and nurses don't always seem to be on the same page as the doctors re post-op eating, though within broad guidelines they do agree. I wasn't happy with certain nurses at the hospital - I had to fight for my pain meds rather than waiting to get them according to their convenience, and NObody listened to my food preferences. But those are matters of convenience; regarding surgical skill, I would certainly choose this practice again if I were doing this over, and would suggest that all WLS candidates in the area check this group out. Of course, I don't know anywhere nearly as much about other practices. In conclusion - I think Dr. Thayer is a crackerjack surgeon, and I enjoy trading wisecracks with him. That's not everyone's cup of (decaf) tea, so you should check them all out. See their website at http:// newtonwellesleywls.com/Content/ContentCT.asp?P=16 and look for the "meetings" schedule. Technically I think you are supposed to be an official patient before you go to one, but you should slip into either a community-support meeting or a 0-6 month meeting, to hear what the veterans have to say. Go for it!!

Dr. Thayer was my surgeon and he was great. He even called me at home on a Sunday to check on me...I found that amazing and reassuring. The whole experience was a good one fore me. If you go with Thayer I'm sure you'll do great!

Hi, I am currently waiting for surgery at Newton-Wellesley. The Newton-Wellesley Obesity Associates are a great group. Dr. Thayer is really nice and VERY well known, although Dr. Partridge is doing my surgery, open RNY. I have never heard of Dr. Chile though. Did he leave the practice? I have researched a few different places like Saints Memorial, Umass memorial, and I feel NW is the best program in my area (Townsend). Have you visited their website? Kristey G.