New Center - need help!

You may be just a little too late but if you want to give it a try email me a resume and I'll forward it to the appropriate person. Send it to [email protected] Dr. C

Where in Ohio. The bigest thing is some surgons office wont even see you if your insurance wont cover the surgury. Insurance companys are pretty bad about WLS even if it its medical nesseary. Please get a person in your office that knows insurance and can help paitents with it

Pattie, I understand your frustration. We as surgeons share in your frustration. Hopefully someday legislation will change this. Our center is at Deaconess Hospital in Cincinnati. We are having our insurance matters handled by our program coordinator who is an R.N. as I think it should be done by someone with more medical knowledge than the bean counters at the insurance companies. Dr. C

Where can we call to get information about your new center? I am just starting down this road and maybe I can be one of your first patients. Who can we call to see if our insurance is on your list? Tracy Headley

Tracy, We are having our first seminar Sunday February 8th at Deaconess Hospital in Cincinnati at 2pm. The number to call is 559-2545. However I noticed your profile mentions you have an appointment with Dr. Custer in Columbus. I know him personally and have operated with him on lap Roux-en-Y's and I can tell you that he is one of the best. Dr. C

Trace, I would love to have you speak at one of my Meetings at Anderson Mercy Hospital as well as have you on my WLS Website so that people can get to know you. Feel free to contact me at either www.imnotfatanymore.com, or [email protected] Sandy Pierce Mid-West Losers Founder Cincinnati, Ohio

This certainl would we great! 1). Have staff thats are sensative to Obese people. 2). Have Financial Options if the Insurance will not cover the procedure. 3). Have someone knowledgeable about the paper work and help those that need help in filing it out. 4). If possible provide some example of the Letters needed. My PCP did not put certain information in the letter and had to rewrite it twice. That's My 2cents. WELCOME to our Community!

Hi Cynthia, Sensitivity is of paramount importance in this field. If we don't have it, we don't survive. I would like to hear from some people about cash payment options they have encountered so that we can structure ours properly from the start. We have an electronic medical record system that will automatically generate letters of medical necessity. Thanks, Dr. C

While LOMNs are a help, I do think helping with a letter of appeal would be a very nice touch. It takes more time, but if a staff member can help with writing an appropriate letter that addresses the reason(s) for the denial - that would be an awesome thing to be able to offer! Sue

Dr. C, Congratulations on the starting of your new bariatric center in Ohio. I can only reiterate what many have already written. A knowledgeable staff, including nurses, dieticians and office workers. I had my surgery through St. Vincent's in Cleveland and they have a wonderful program. However, some of their clerical staff needs a little more knowledge when it comes to the bariatric patients needs. Make sure every one has been trained and if they don't know an answer they should not guess but find the correct answer and then get back to the patient. I have been told a couple of things that were incorrect about my diet in the first week post-op. Impart as much information as possible to the patient. This is something that St. V's has done and I found it to be very valuable. Don't leave out the risks involved. Everyone should go into this with their eyes wide open and the facts should be laid out for them. This is a life changing surgery and the patients need to be aware that there is more to this than weight loss. I wish you all the best. Mary Beth Lap RNY 12/19/03 -35