Summa health care centers

i was just wondering if anyone went to summa health care centers i finally found a contact number for them my other consultation is in michigan and i really dont want to drive that far to have this done that sounds like a long uncomfortable ride home!!
any input would be well appreciated
thanks so much

There are a few from Summa that post here.  I am from Akron General and we also have a great Bariatric team and support group that you may want to check out.  I don't know how far you are from Akron, but even Cleveland area would be closer than Michigan!  Check out our website at www.akrongeneral.org and click on Bariatric Center.  Good luck!

i actually contacted dr chlysta first and have paper work for him, my only problem there is the program fee i have to come up with but thank you very much for replying to my post

when i first started my  journey back in 05' he was the first dr i looked into, i lived in akron at the time, but OMG, that fee is outrageous that i didnt give him a second thought, and he's a great dr from what i hear but he's losing patients right and left due to that fee
no one has that kind of money (and if they do, more power to them)
good luck in your jouney
 

who did you end up going with?  im playing phone tag with summa right now lol they call while im working and cant answer the phone when i call back they are busy  its crazy---i dont really want to travel to michigan in january but i do have a consultation for the 5th if i can get into summa im going to cancel that one cant see myself traveling from michigan to south of akron after surgery lol

The program fee used to be $2000.  It had gone down some when I had my surgery - don't know what it is now.  It's too bad there is a charge, but they do bring in some great speakers and I know sometime soon they are having Barbara Thompson.  The fee covers all the programs and the get togethers.  I was lucky that I had plenty of time to save up for the fee, but it took some planning.  As far as losing patients -  I heard that they are swamped with approvals and scheduling surgeries.  Good luck with what ever you decide. Have you checked with Warren Ohio.  They do bariatric's at St Josephs Hospital.

i did not know about st josephs i definetly will keep them in mind---if i had the fee i probably would go with him i just dont have it and they said in the papers that i got that you had to have it before your consultation  so they are definetly out for me but there are more around warren is a lil far but closer then michigan lol
thanks so much

i ended up going to st vincents and having dr ben meir. by no means am i saying that the dr isnt great, ive heard nothing but wonderful things about him, im just saying the fee is outrageously high ..
the downfall having going to st v is that its an hr away from me and im not able to go to the meetings
good luck in your journey

thats my big thing too i want some place close that way i dont have to travel far to get home after the surgery and i want to be close enough to be able to go to the meetings and things like that if i need to go see him for anything that kind of stuff akron is the closest city to me that has bariatric places so im really hoping to get into summa st vincents is in warren? thats still closer then michigan lol

 Hi,

I can't say enough good stuff about Summa's program, particularly Dr. Dan.  He is a fellowship trained (this is additional focused training that some surgeons choose to get in their area of specialty) surgeon, which is why I chose him initially, but now that I've come to know the rest of the staff I continue to be pleased with their follow up and knowledge base. 

I would strongly consider choosing someone close to home, whether you choose Summa or Akron General. Right after surgery I had questions, and once had to pop over to the office to have the nurse take a quick look at a skin problem that cropped up. Turned out it was a minor reaction to adhesive tape and/or the sub-Q anesthetic, but without someone right there I would have had to make an appointment somewhere, or go to the ER. In addition, there are important follow up services at both centers -- I wouldn't want to be far away from the person who did my surgery. 

I know that some weeks it can be hard to get in touch with them the first time. They are growing. But actually since I became their patient I've only had one time when I was playing phone tag too much, and they were honestly really sorry for my inconvenience.

Hope this helps -- let me know if I can answer any other questions about my own experience --