Help with hospital selection

As a new member, I have been researching the idea of WLS for awhile and recently my PCP finally agreed to support lap band surgery but encouraged me to find a surgeon and hospital. I live in southern NH and my primary care provider is Harvard Pilgrim thus I believe I can select a surgeon and hospital in MA. I have looked at both Brigham and Women's and NEMC. I am concerned about how much travel will be required by the two programs. My other thought was the program in Lowell at Saints Memorial and Dr. Jiser. I meet the requirements I believe of all the programs as my BMI is 41 plus I have significant arthritis in both knees and my back, I am diabetic, and I have a leaking aortic valve. I did have sleep apnea but had throat surgery years ago to fix it. I appreciate your thoughts.

Dr. Randall and his nutrit will be having their support group meeting this Thursday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital at 6:30 pm. It's free to anyone and Dr. Randall would be more than happy to let you know who he'd recommend at Brigham and Women's or himself at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Dr. Randall has been doing this surgery for more than 20 years and I just love him. The TLC he gives to EVERYONE is amazing. I'm still pre op and awaiting my appeal but have been going to his meetings for 6 months plus now. Lorraine

Thanks Lorraine, I am heading for Belize for vacation on Friday morning very early so Thursday doesn't work for me, when are meetings normally held? Always the fourth Thursday?? Thanks

Enjoy your vacation and I hope you have lots of fun. Yes, the meetings are the 4th Thursdays of the month. I feel like I've been going forever and stuck on the pre op side for life..... lol Lorraine

Hi Ellen...First Call your Harvard Pilgrim 800# on the back of your card. Find out for certain if they include/exclude hospitals. There are many good programs around....and it also depends what type of surgery you are interested in RNY or Lap band. Start from your insurance, then your surgery type. Post on whichever board you are interested in..Lap Band Forum or RNY forum..as well as the NH board--no idea how much traffic there is on the NH board. Just my honest opinion...if you are lap band you might be a tad bit too far from the city for your adjustments. Sure you can travel for the routing preop appts,and routing appts...but if you are too tight you have a good haul to be able to drop what you are doing to head for an unfill. I wish you luck in your journey...but don't cross off any hospital until you call your insurance. Joan

Thanks for the suggestion Joan, I did call Harvard Pilgrim and they said as long as I used a contracted hospital and a contracted physican it would be covered. I checked to be sure NEMC, Brighams, Lahey and Saints Memorial were all covered and they are. I think I will plan on attending the info sessions in Lowell and at NEMC after my vacation. Thanks so much for your help and your thoughts.

Hi Ellen-Ann, I live in Nashua, NH and was enrolled in Dr. David Drinkwater's program at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center and was ready to have a surgery date set when he resigned to relocate at another hospital in MA. I transferred to Dr. Jiser at Saints Memorial and I have been delighted with their program. The staff is very friendly, helpful, concerned and caring and Dr. Jiser is the best. I have been very impressed with the way Saints Memorial got all my pre-op medical testing done and everything is all located in one area and parking is very convenient. The drive from Nashua isn't bad at all. I don't think you would be disappointed with their program at all. Joyce is great at working with the insurance companies...mine got approved in about 2 weeks and I have my surgery scheduled for 3-13. Good luck in whatever you decide. If I can help anymore...please email me. Barbara

Hi Ellen I also had my surgery done at Saints in Lowell with Dr. Jiser on 1/9/06. He was very caring and compasionate. The program at Saints is wonderful. They have their informational nights the first Tuesday of every month. GL with whatever you decide

Both the Brigham and NEMC have excellent programs. My best suggestion - after speaking with Harvard Pilgrim and confirming your choices - is to attend support groups at both hospitals (they give you a better feel for the program, staff and aftercare IMO than the info sessions). I chose the Brigham and Dr. Vernon to do my banding and I couldn't be happier. They both rock IMO. That being said, choose what feels right to you. As for the distance, I have to disagree with Joan - I don't think you're too far even if you needed an immediate unfill. Most important is who do you trust for your overall care. Best of luck, Caeli 348/323/260/198 5'10"

Just a thought, I am from the North Shore of Massachusetts (Gloucester) and I was also looking into Boston Hospitals, I mean if your in Massachusetts why not they are the best. However, my PCP and a friend who had Gastric Bypass Surgery encouraged me to consider the after care programs at the hospitals and the commuting it would take to be as involved as I shoudl to get the support you should have. I thought it over and looked into programs in my area. I found NSMC- Salem Hospital it is a Partners Hospital ( with MHG and Brigham and Women's) it as a succesful program and the after care and support in extensive. To make it short, I encourage you to speak to people and go look at programs within your area ( when I say that I mean easy commuting distance and time). Good luck to you Laura Hart