Cannot pick my surgeon?

I will be seeing the surgeon soon. I requested to see a surgeon at TEGH, since it is very close to home. I was told that TWH already referred their "quota" of patients to the "surgical only" sites, and that I must have a surgeon from TWH. I would not mind my surgery at TWH, I am simply "used to" TEGH, where I had my knee replacement done at, and where my second knee replacement will be done at. Has anyone else come across this issue? 

Keep your appointment with TEGH surgeon. Tell him that Ontario Bariatric Network has told you that you have to go to TWH. He will let you know about timing and if he wants to take your case. Has the Network told you which surgeon you will be seeing at TWH? If they have set up an appointment, take it. If they haven't wait until they do schedule you in the program. By that time you will know how you stand with the surgeon from TEGH, if he will ask for your files to be transferred or if you have to ask for your files to be transferred. The surgeon at TEGH may be too long for you to wait and TWH will be your decision. Don't transfer your files until you know how this surgeon works with you.  I was advised to go to TWH but I saw the surgeon at HRRH and we connected very well. He agreed to handle my case and I asked for my files to be transferred to HRRH. Hopefully someone on the forum sees your message and can tell you good things about each hospital.

I'm sorry, but this is really rather silly advice. Encouraging her to start some sort of round-and-round game with very busy surgeons? I think not.

THE OBN does not tell you which surgeon you go to they refer you to the Bariatric centre which in this case is TWH.

TWH does surgery at TWH plus they have two other surgical sites where surgeries are done which is TEGH and St. Mikes but everything is done through TWH so there is no transferring of files as it is essentially one location.

Also TEGH and St, Mike have a quota for OR times for WL Surgeries and once they have met that quota they will not do anymore surgeries until OHIP provides more funding to their hospital for WLS.

Thank you. I hope to get my surgeon referral very soon. I have been approved for the procedure. I want the surgery done sooner than later as I have my second knee replacement late November, and would like to be on my way to recovery from the roux en y surgery. I need to get this excessive weight off my knees, it's really restricting everything I do...and being lighter will help the recovery from my knee replacement.

A word of advice from a vet?

You have waiting a long time to have your surgery and I can't imagine you would want to make the wait any longer, especially considering the state of your knees. Take the appointment at TWH, meet the surgeon, schedule your surgery and be done with it.

Don't start making appointments with alternate surgeons and playing some sort of game as the previous poster suggested - unless you truly want to F up this situation and wait longer, and I KNOW you don't.

K.

Sandy 

Through TWH you can not request the hospital you go to they book surgeries depending on the surgeon and space available. TEGH and St. Mike's they do a small amount of WL surgeries compared to TWH.

TWH has 4 surgeons as TEGH and ST. Mike's has one or two surgeons and they are only giving a limited amount of of OR time for WL Surgeries at TEGH and St. Mikes that is why most of the surgeries are done at TWH.

I have known others who have been booked at TEGH and because they filled their quota for WLS their surgeries where cancelled for months and months. 

As others have said, listen to the centre.

i was initially told my surgery would be at St Mike's and then was switched to TWH. They said St Mike's would have taken numerous months longer than the 5 weeks from surgeon appointment that TWH did.

I was referred to Dr. Grantcharov at St. Mike's by my cardiologist. He spoke so highly of him, I decided to pursue gastric bypass once again. I looked into it 20 years ago and was told the wait list was 8 years long. Did Optifast 2x plus other diets instead. Met Grantcharov and was sold on the idea. At the end of our meeting came the "bait & switch". He told me he may not be my surgeon. Regardless of the program allegedly not allowing one to pick the surgeon - I felt I stood nothing to lose by letting them know my preference and I was told since Grantcharov put me in the program, this could have an impact. St. Mike's is a few blocks from where I live.

As time continued to pass by, I was convinced that there were many excellent surgeons at TWH, so I acquiesced. Then they set me up with Dr. Aarts at TEGH --- and then Dr. Cyriac did the surgery. He did an excellent job.

I was not happy about being passed around -- but put aside my personal feelings for the mechanics of getting the deed done. When I looked at the hospital distance from home, I thought of all those others who travel from out of town for this surgery and let that idea go. So - please consider going across town. Closer than going to Barrie!

I was also initially referred to Grantcharov. I did all my research...etc I had a lot of anxiety about my surgeon, but did more research and felt total trust in the "team of surgeons" in this centre. They are excellent surgeons that have been chosen with care to not only benefit their patients but the centre itself. 

I I went from Grantcharov, Urbach, and finally Jackson. I don't think it's so much a "bait and switch" but they're doing what is efficient for us, as well as the centre's funding, which in turn benefits us too.