New Beginings...

I am looking into finding a Surgeon and live in the South Jersey area wuite a few have requirements of the New Begining program at Virtua. Does anyone know anything about this and the costs???

I was turned off by the new beginnings progam at virtua due to cost and the fact that the dr never showed up to the seminar.

Instead I went to see Dr. Marc Neff with Kennedy.  I can not tell you enough wonder things about him.  I know he does two informational sessions, one in Washington Twp and the other in Cherry Hill.

More about Dr. Neff.  There are many surgeons that are wonderful at what they do..but their bedside manner is usually lacking.  Not in the case of Dr. Neff.  He is kindhearted, professional funny and encouraging while being an incredible surgeon. 

I highly recommend you go to one of his seminars and see for yourself.

I went to the Virtua seminar. I was very impressed with Dr. Goldstein, but wasn't so impressed with the other dr.

New beginnings had a lot of elements to the program that I didn't need or could do on my own.
surgery would have been up to a year out. I didn't want to wait that long. I no I can't lose weight w/o the surgery so why try. The cost is up there too and it is a requirement to have Goldstein as ur doc.
The seminar is just under 3 hrs and you have to go to that before you see a doc, then u can make an appointment for approx 3 months later then the new begiings which could be another 12 month so that totals 15 months of waiting. that is not for me.
Where I am going has surgery rather quickly as long as you meet the requirements, but they are not as strict. My sugery would have been 3 months from time of consult. A frind of mine went the same day for a consult and he had his surgery last month. I would be having it this month but I screwed up so I have to wait 30 days.


Anymore questions you have pm me this is getting kinda long


Tom

i used dr. earl noyan who works out of robert wood johnson hospital in Hamilton.  i was happy with him.

good luck, jacki

welcome aboard

i too am turned off by dr.'s who charge extra money --

we used Dr. Matt Kirkland at Penn Hospital in Philly -- awesome Dr. and team!! Team being the word here -- they do everything for you but drive you to the hospital!! nutritionist, cardiologist, pulmonary, support group, everything is right at the hospital or across the street at 8th and Spruce -- you will never have to speak to the insurance company, you will not have to find your own appointments, i'm telling ya, everything is done for you -- they give you a binder with all kinds of paperwork to follow pre-op and post-op -- phone numbers, how to make shakes, when to eat and drink post op for your first few weeks -- when to take your vitamins and what kinds to take with choices --  this is the team for dummies -- which we liked haha

215-829-3697

good luck

roberta

I'm in the New Beginnings Program and I love it!!! I look forward to going every week. It cost $1750.00. $1950.00 if you use the gym there. I am on a payment plan if you ask they will work with you. YOU HAVE TO ASK. They have support Group twice a week and Nutrition classes once a week. Starting in Jan. they will be adding another Nutrition class. Once you pay the initial fee you can go to support or Nutrition class forever. There are people that come that are 5 yrs out. I've met so many nice helpful people. I will be using Dr. Goldstein. If you have anymore questions pm me.

Kim 

to be fiar to Dr. Goldstein. I ran into an old friend who went with the dr and had a very good experience with the service. and has lost weight in the 4months post-op

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so there are a lot of places to cjhoose from.


Good luck on ur search

I used Virtua and I go to New Beginnings support group meetings quite often. Yes, the $1750. was steep, but I paid in installments and am glad to be part of it that group.  There are 3 surgeons that are associated with NB. Two of them are at the seminars.  Dr.Goldstein does only lap band & Dr. Kipnis does lap  band and RNY. So much data shows that attending support meetings post surgery goes hand in hand with keeping the weight off. I'm less than three months out & I've been attending meetings for about 9 months. The meetings are excellent. Informative and cordial. I had Lap RNY, Dr. Kipnis was my surgeon.  He was a pleasure to deal with. His billing dept was quite helpful with getting the insurance approval. I had absolutely no problems post surgery and not even a little bit of pain once I left the hospital. New Beginnings program classes are mandatory pre op for nutrition and are also available post op for as long as you need them. Same thing with the support meetings. Included in the fee, you get your Psyc eval, and all the required "hoops" for insurance approval are covered. Many insurance companies require a medically supervised diet. NB counts as a medically supervised diet, as you have a Bariatric Nurse, a psychogist and nutritionists at you disposal and weigh-ins documented twice per month. At some point it might sound like I'm trying to sell the program. I'm not.  The program is great, I did not have even one positive experience with the hospital. It was absolute hell. But I was there Labor Day/ first day of school week and I think many of the regulars were on vacation and the nurses/others didn't know their arse from a  hole in the ground.
Good luck to you,
Dee