bariatric surgeons in Nashville
I love both my surgeon and the hospital where I had my WLS. Unfortunately, the hospital is no longer offering the surgery, they wouldn't hire an insurance coordinator and the surgeon just couldn't keep up with all the paperwork required. My son is looking into having the surgery now, we've attended the seminar at Centennial, neither one of us cared for the surgeon who presented. So now we're looking at Baptist, here's their website.
http://www.johnhustedmd.com/
Good luck.
Hi Tara. You may want to find out what hospital or surgeons are included in your insurance plan before you head down a path that is not covered. There is a list of surgeons on this site that you can compare against you list of surgeons in your plan directory.
I have not had surgery yet but I will be having it through Vanderbilt. They have a great follow up procedure. They are fairly detailed on how they do things and what they expect as far as tests and pre and after care appointments - which can be good and bad 
. The only problem I have had with them is the response time by the person who has control over my folder and getting it submitted to insurance. Other than that, I have liked going through the Vanderbilt. They also have a support group that meets regularly and regular seminars for new patients and family. Here is the site for them.
http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/root/vumc.php?site=bariatric&doc=4202
Good luck on your journey. Keep us updated on how everything goes or if you ever have any questions.
Misty
. The only problem I have had with them is the response time by the person who has control over my folder and getting it submitted to insurance. Other than that, I have liked going through the Vanderbilt. They also have a support group that meets regularly and regular seminars for new patients and family. Here is the site for them.
http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/root/vumc.php?site=bariatric&doc=4202
Good luck on your journey. Keep us updated on how everything goes or if you ever have any questions.
Misty 
Hi Tara,
I have had not had surgery yet and am just beginning my WLS journey. I finished my 6 month dr. supervised diet which most insurance companies require that. I submitted all my paperwork and now I'm waiting. I'm hoping to go through Centennial Medical Center. What attracted me most was the importance of aftercare. They have various support groups, nutritionists, and psychologists through their bariatric program. Their website is www.cmcwls.com First, contact your insurance company to make sure there is coverage for WLS, note any requirements you must meet (psych eval, nutritional counseling, 6 month dr. supervised diet, etc.) and then go from there. I have read too many stories where insurance coverage was denied because of a requirement that was not met. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
April
Hhi,
Not far from Nashville is Dr. Oxley in Franklin. He did my surgery, and did a great job of it. I feel so good it is hard to believe.
His Nurse/Coordinator, Pam Davis had the surgery several yrs ago and knows the ropes. They are a great team and I look foward to support meetings and follow up visits...we have a ball.
Billie
There are three surgeons at Centennial. I'd check them all out. My surgeon there was Dr. Hugh Houston, who can come across as a little pompous, but is GREAT. He is a very caring surgeon. Centennial has it all - great surgeons, nutritionists, support groups, psych aftercare - short of a one-stop shopping. Everyone there is wonderful.
Tara, being in Lexington, I would actually suggest that you check out my surgeon (who is in Dickson, much closer to you), Dr Huerta at Horizon Medical Center. He is an excellent surgeon and I highly recommend checking into his practice. The follow-up/aftercare program with his practice is WONDERFUL, with physical therapists and nutritionist included in the aftercare.
Another great thing about the bariatric program there is that the hospital is very aggressive with the post-op care -- they assign a nurse solely to you, the nurse doesn't do anything but tend to the bari patient, which rocks, because you never have to wait for them, they come when you push the button.
And of course, it is always nice to be so much closer to your surgeon for all the aftercare appointments!
--joanna
325/175/125(someday, I hope!)
Tara,
I had my surgery with Willie Melvin @ Vanderbilt. I had an incredible experience with both my surgeon and the hospital. I was told by several people the you can not find a compassionate surgeon in Nashville. Well, I've proved them wrong. 
I've done everything Dr. Melvin has asked, and I have not one problem. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Take care,
Beth Tara,
I was beyond satisfied. Dr. Huerta has the very rare combination of being an excellent surgeon and having excellent bedside manner. He is a wonderful caring and compassionate man who does a great job. He has not done an awful lot of weight loss surgeries, BUT has been doing lap surgeries forever and has been a vascular surgeon for like 17 years (?).
His staff is wonderful. I can say that the nurses are some of the most wonderful people I have ever had the joy to meet, and the hospital in Dickson is very obese-friendly. They have chairs that were roomy even when I was 331lbs! Marcia, who does most of the coordination in the office is a sweetie with a bite. She doesn't sugar-coat anything, and I love that about her. You get all the touchy-feely support from the nurses, and then Marcia comes in and tells you how things need to go. 
but she is awesome too!
The aftercare is great. You are given a binder with all of your aftercare information in it. There is even a business card holder where you will get the business cards for everyone, so if you need to talk to someone, you have the number handy. I keep my appointment cards in it, very handy. The binder has all of your bloodwork/post-op tests in it, so all you have to do is take those to your PCP and have him/her order them. It even lists the correct codes, so your regular lab will not have billing issues! It has lists of foods that you can and should eat for each phase of the post-op diet as well as exercise tips and ideas and some recipes. There is even a section in there just for your family/significant other to read!
The support group meets once/month on the second thursday of the month, and is usually very structured, which is cool, because you get to learn new stuff. At each of my post-op appointments, I got to see Dr. Huerta, which I have learned is a rarity nowdays, most patients never see their surgeon after the surgery is done unless they have major complications -- or at least from how many posts read.
Feel free to email me if you want to talk about this or come into the main chat room sometime, I am usually there early morning or later in the evening as "joanna Xmos -XXXlbs" (currently, joanna 8mos -150lbs).
I will say, though, that Dr. Huerta is VERY strict about the diet post-op and many people have commented to me how unfortunate I was to not have mashed potatoes allowed during the soft stage, but the truth is, I am glad of it, as I believe that that is part of why and how I have lost as much as I have as quickly as I have.
The hospital staff was wonderful as well, like I said -- they assign one nurse to you and you alone. The nurses in the post-op ward are so wonderful -- the one I had my first 2 nights there actually stopped by my 3rd day -- on her day off!! -- to check in on me. How sweet is that?
I think you will find that most people will recommend their surgeon over another, lol, and that is a good thing, it means that they are happy with what has come about for them, and I am no different. I will say, though, since Dr. Huerta is a pretty long drive for me, the closer your surgeon is to you, the easier all the aftercare stuff will be. I don't mind doing the long drive, and luckily have had no complications, but I always suggest to people to find a surgeon close to them if possible. I would have been much happier if my family could have visited more often, lol.
It doesn't hurt to go to any seminars that are offered, and make a decision based on the seminar as to whether or not you would even want to meet with that surgeon. Seriously, we have to remember that we are customers here and have some amount of choice as to which surgeon we use. I look at it this way, I plan on being successful with this for the rest of my life, and I want to have a surgeon who I will feel comfortable going to see when I need to, not dreading going to a post-op appointment, ya know?
Sorry this reply was so long, I can be a bit long-winded, lol.
--joanna
325/175/125(someday, I hope!)
but she is awesome too!
The aftercare is great. You are given a binder with all of your aftercare information in it. There is even a business card holder where you will get the business cards for everyone, so if you need to talk to someone, you have the number handy. I keep my appointment cards in it, very handy. The binder has all of your bloodwork/post-op tests in it, so all you have to do is take those to your PCP and have him/her order them. It even lists the correct codes, so your regular lab will not have billing issues! It has lists of foods that you can and should eat for each phase of the post-op diet as well as exercise tips and ideas and some recipes. There is even a section in there just for your family/significant other to read!
The support group meets once/month on the second thursday of the month, and is usually very structured, which is cool, because you get to learn new stuff. At each of my post-op appointments, I got to see Dr. Huerta, which I have learned is a rarity nowdays, most patients never see their surgeon after the surgery is done unless they have major complications -- or at least from how many posts read.
Feel free to email me if you want to talk about this or come into the main chat room sometime, I am usually there early morning or later in the evening as "joanna Xmos -XXXlbs" (currently, joanna 8mos -150lbs).
I will say, though, that Dr. Huerta is VERY strict about the diet post-op and many people have commented to me how unfortunate I was to not have mashed potatoes allowed during the soft stage, but the truth is, I am glad of it, as I believe that that is part of why and how I have lost as much as I have as quickly as I have.
The hospital staff was wonderful as well, like I said -- they assign one nurse to you and you alone. The nurses in the post-op ward are so wonderful -- the one I had my first 2 nights there actually stopped by my 3rd day -- on her day off!! -- to check in on me. How sweet is that?
I think you will find that most people will recommend their surgeon over another, lol, and that is a good thing, it means that they are happy with what has come about for them, and I am no different. I will say, though, since Dr. Huerta is a pretty long drive for me, the closer your surgeon is to you, the easier all the aftercare stuff will be. I don't mind doing the long drive, and luckily have had no complications, but I always suggest to people to find a surgeon close to them if possible. I would have been much happier if my family could have visited more often, lol.
It doesn't hurt to go to any seminars that are offered, and make a decision based on the seminar as to whether or not you would even want to meet with that surgeon. Seriously, we have to remember that we are customers here and have some amount of choice as to which surgeon we use. I look at it this way, I plan on being successful with this for the rest of my life, and I want to have a surgeon who I will feel comfortable going to see when I need to, not dreading going to a post-op appointment, ya know?
Sorry this reply was so long, I can be a bit long-winded, lol.
--joanna
325/175/125(someday, I hope!) Most Active
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