OHSU patients

I am just looking for some information from people that have had surgery at OHSU, with Dr. Devanny(sp?). I have done all my pre-op stuff except a phys exam and my app. with NP. I am just curious the time line of some people who have gone through process at OHSU. I want to know how long after the app with the NP do they usually schedule surgery dates.

I also need an angel if anyone is interested.....
thank you
sandra

 it is very different for different people.  when i went to the first seminar they said about 4 months.  For me it has been a year.  The variables that effect the time it takes are:  how quickly test results come in, how many tests and hoops your insurance requires, whether you have insurance, how busy Heather the scheduler is.

some tests take more time than others most patients have to have an upper GI, psych evaluation, sleep apnea test, blood tests, motility and acid test.  I didn't have to do the sleep apnea but did th others.  My psych evaluation took 4 months to get written and input into the system.

My insurance required very little but some require a 6 month supervised diet.  If yours does it will take at least that long to be approved.

if you will pay with your own money you can fast track through the system quite quickly but obviously it costs you in dollars!

After conversations with the scheduler at OHSU there are times when paperwork comes in very quickly and she has to hand enter each test result into the computer before your record will float to the surface for an appt with the surgeon (you will not see him until you have a date).  If she gets backed up it can take some time.  i was at the bottom of a pile for 3 months.

good luck Sandra this takes a whole lot of patience and luck.  There are many people i know on the board who have launched through the system very quickly and for some reason i have bad luck if if there will be a glitch i seem to get it.  worst case scenario is 1 year from seminar to surgery.  Good luck on your journey.  I will finally have my surgery next Thursday.

Tina

Sandra,

I think I expedited the timeline for me by having all pre-op testing done before NP consult. When I went to NP and dietician consult I brought copies of all test results with me and handed them directly to the NP. I did the same thing when I went to the info session in the beginning. I brought my last 2 yrs of records with me, filled out the green form and handed them all in the following morning. I didn't rely on all the other offices to fax the results. If you can have your psych done beforehand and take all test results with you it won't take much time at all for them to submit to your insurance. They submitted my insurance last thursday and I was approved and got my surgery date the following day!! The more proactive you are the faster the process! When contacting H about insurance I recommend e-mail rather than phone as well. She responded very quickly to all of my e-mails. Good luck to you! What type of surgery are you having??
Brenda

Dr. Deveney is the correct spelling.

The timeline between the appt with the NP and the surgery date varies greatly among patients.  OHSU requires the following pre-op tests before being submitted to insurance for approval:

- Nutritional counseling with registered dietician (at OHSU only)
- Cardiac clearance with cardiologist
- Sleep study or evidence of sleep apnea
- Psychological evaluation

Once insurance is approved, surgery is then scheduled.  After your surgery is scheduled, the following appts are required:

- Appt at the Pre-Admit Test (PAT) clinic
- Surgery prep seminar
- Consult with surgeon

What makes you think that Dr. Deveney will be your surgeon?  There are three other bariatric surgeons in the clinic.
What type of surgery are you seeking?

What makes you think that Dr. Deveney will be your surgeon?  There are three other bariatric surgeons in the clinic.
What type of surgery are you seeking?

 thanks for the info    ~      i was just using his name in general, i didnt mean to imply he  was my surgeon, i am going to do the RYN, my mom had the RNY with dr flanigan, ten yrs ago and my aunt had dr deveney last yr for the DS, and my other aunt had RNY with emma patterson.

- Nutritional counseling with registered dietician (at OHSU only)
- Cardiac clearance with cardiologist
- Sleep study or evidence of sleep apnea
  
I have done all but this step - Psychological evaluation, and they told me i couldnt schedule with her until i had my NP app., i dont know if i should just get my own app somewhere else and take the info from that one to my app with the NP.

 If the nurse practitioner can get you an appointment at OHSU things might go faster than doing it with an outside psychologist.  They have a system and records go right into your file instead of waiting to be entered or faxed etc.  

On the other hand if you take the proactive approach and it will be quite some time until you can get in to see the nurse practitioner it might be worth finding an outside psychologist.  You will need to make sure that your Psych. evaluation is for a bariatric consult as they ask specific questions and min at least had me take a long survey.  I had quite a bit of difficulty finding a psychologist who was willing to take a new patient.  I ended up driving down to Corvallis for this as she could get me in quicker than anyone else i called on the recommendation listed provided by OHSU.

I hope this helps-

Hello Sandra!

These are good questions and you have gotten some very good responses as well.

There are several in the McMinnville support group who are going through the OHSU system and they would be happy to share with you their experiences and frustrations as well.

Our next meeting will be a week from tonight, Sept 4th at 6:00 PM.  Support groups are wonderful no matter what stage you are in!!  I hope we see you there.  It would be wonderful to meet you.

Sincerely,

Trisha Schnatterly