Newbie...St Joseph's Hamilton Info Please!
Hi everyone...
taken the plunge and have decided to have surgery! My doctor made a referral back in September and I have an orientation meeting in March. I was assigned to St Joseph's Hamilton. A couple of questions...
Any info about St Joes? Wait times etc?
What determines the types of tests someone needs? It doesn't seem to be consistent.
Also what does the term PATTS stand for?
thanks so much in advance!!
Melissa
I don't have specifics about Hamilton but can tell you that wait times and practices definitely vary between Centres! If you read people's signatures you can get an idea of their timetables and the order in which they were sent to appointments. When you set up your "signature" it's helpful if you list what Centre you're with so other people can get the same idea.
Some Centres use the circumference of your neck to determine if you will require a sleep study, while others may base it on your BMI, your symptoms, or all three. Other testing such as blood work and an ECG will determine what other tests you might need. If you have a history or symptoms of gastrointestinal problems they may require a gastroscope.
PATTS is the Pre-Admission Testing you have done just prior to having surgery. Mine is a week before my surgery, but others seem to have theirs done just days prior. The appointment consists of having blood work done, an ECG, a chest x-ray and a meeting with the anaesthetist.
Here's a web address you may find helpful:
St Joe's Manual:
http://www.stjoes.ca/media/PatientED/U-Z/PD%206000%20Bariatric%20Surgery%20-%20Gastric%20Bypass%20February%2029%202012.pdf.
Good luck!
Referral: Apr 2013; Orientation (HRRH): Aug 12, 2013; 1st Surgeon Appt (Dr Sohi): Aug 23, 2013; SW/RD/RN: Nov 8, 2013; Internist (Dr Glazer): Nov 14, 2013; 2nd Surgeon Appt: Nov 20, 2013; Start Opti: Jan 3, 2013; PATTS: Jan 16, 2014; Surgery: Jan 24, 2014
Hey there. I am with st. Joes in Hamilton and here is where I am. I had my orientation July 29 2013 and just received my letters for my dietitian etc appointment for May 16 2014. I did get a requisition for an ultrasound, ECG and the blood work just before christmas as well. Compared to other centres this seems very slow to me. Hoping things speed up a bit once those appointments take place in May ????
Hello Melissa,
I had my Surgery Oct 4 at St. Joe's and it was a pleasant experience. My referring doctor had me complete a lot of the necessary tests (ECG, Cardiac Imaging, abdominal ultrasound, gastroscopy) between my orientation and first meeting with the dietitian, so I think that may have sped things up a bit. You will also need a sleep study done at some point. I was previously diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, so another test wasn't required.
Here is my timeline... not sure it applies to everyone.
Orientation meeting - December 2012 (Don't be late or they WILL NOT let you in).
Nurse/Psychologist/Dietitian - June 2013
Surgeon July 2013 - Requested Barium Swallow as my gastroscopy showed a hiatus hernia.
Barium Swallow - August 2013
Follow-up w/ Surgeon - Early September 2013
Group Dietitian Meeting - Late September 2013
Surgery - October 4, 2013
My only other advice is that if you do have some of the tests done beforehand, ask your family doctor for copies of all the test results and bring them with you to your first appointment with the nurse. Not sure who's fault it is, but paperwork does tend to get lost in the system. You are your own best advocate... don't rely on the system to take care of you. Take a proactive approach, do your research and get ready for a huge change to your lifestyle. Support from family, friends, and the great people at St. Joes is a great help, but it is ultimately you that will make the surgery successful.
Good luck, and if you have any other questions, please let me know. I'm more than willing to answer them for you.
Cheers,
John