xpost Changing Surgeons (Sorry really long.)

Well I have been on this journey for a while now. Where to start? Well I thought I was going to be using Dr Hoehn.... Well Maybe not now. I have been trying to get this surgery done early this spring but it seems like all I do is wait wait wait and never get an answer or a call back. I have called the office 4 times in the last month and left messages for them to call me. (Shellys message says she will get back to you within 48 hrs.) Not once has she called me back. I usually have to call and press 0 to get someone at the front desk to get her for me. I understand she is busy but come on not one call back out of four. Well today I called back after not getting a returned call from when I called Monday! Pushed 0 and asked for Shelly to find out whats going on with my file. She said she had thought about calling me today. I said sure you did. she asked what I wanted. I asked if they had sent off for approval yet. she said no that they are working on getting ready to write a letter. I asked when it would be done and I got an answer of whenever we can get around to it. I said don't you want a letter from my PCP? she said yes she was going to ask for that. I thought I'm sure you were. So when I started with them as I had told them the summer months are my busiest months for work and this has to be put on rush.. well their psych took 4 weeks to get me in. Then the Nutritionist took 6 weeks. Now they have not even submitted me to Aetna for their denial which I need to submit to BCBS for their approval.(due to hospital not accepting Aetna) Do the math. Best case scenario. submit  to Aetna  1 week to deny submit to BCBS 1 week to approve see surgeon a week later get preop testing done ie:cardiac testing and others another week see surgeon again a week later get date surgery date 4-6 weeks out is what they are scheduling right now and she said most likely it will be the six week mark not the 4 week.   So we are looking at  the end of MAY Most likely the middle of June...   TOO LATE June is the busiest month for me. No can Do.. That means I would probably have to wait till things at work slow down in November. And I am not willing to wait that long. So today I looked up another surgeon (Wanda Kaniewski, MD, FACS at http://www.iabsobesitysurgery.com/) and talked with her staff. They said If I bring them the Psych Approval and the Nut Approval along with my med records and letter from my PCP they would submit that day. I also found out they accept both of my insurances so it will cost me nothing out of pocket for this.. A big plus in my book. It would of cost me about $400-$800 dollars at the other place. I said How soon can you get me in. She said they just had a cancellation for tomorrow. I will be  meeting with the surgeon tomorrow and they penciled me a surgery date for April 15th already WOW!!! I have a tentative DATE!!! What do you all think I should do? I also don't like the fact that I have to do all of the things DR Hoehn has you do before you even get a one on one with the guy. I know hes a great surgeon but his program is just too slow!

I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off for about a year and a half. My insurance had a written exclusion so I was trying to use my secondary insurance- Medicare. I hit ever wall you could think of trying to do that. So, in Jan. open enrollment we changed my husbands insurance at work to a company that did approve of WLS. Then I found Dr. Hornbostel on the Internet through the OH site. It was bam-bam-bam after that- I mean I had everything they needed right on hand. I was worried my paper work was outdated or too old, but they took all the reports and ran with them. I think it just fits when you find the right doc. I'd be a bit miffed if I were you and tempted to call that gal's machine and ask her to call me, and when she finally did call you back, cancel out on her. They obv. do not care about your schedule and time, whats good for the goose, is good for the gander.... (Gosh I hope I spelled that right- ha). I have a low tolerance for bad phone or office manners.

Run like the wind with this new doc.- pretty obvious that his office is on the ball and takes care of business!

Brenda

Go , go and meet with her at the very least. I have found that a lot of so called best Doctors that are too busy to see people well lets just say what good are they?.   Hopefully you will like the new doctor and things can go ahead for you and you will be all better by the time your business gets going full swing.

Run - do not walk - to this new doctor!!!!  Go!!!!!  Good for you for staying on top of them and  getting this done.  Honestly, I have no clue why this particular specialty area of health care is like this!!  It's frustrating and just plain wrong!  I went through the same thing; and eventually had my surgery (of course).  I think, in part, they are just overwhelmed with the number of folks contacting them - if so, then they need to hire more staff (and please, hire people who actually have good 'people skills' ) and get an office manager in there who knows how to run an office efficiently and take care of your patients!!  What I see is lacking is good customer (patient) service.  Off my soapbox.     Let us know how your appointment goes!