Question:
No initial consult with my surgeon..just a group consult?? Anyone else?

I got approved in early June for surgery and got a dat of 8/12 right away. The hospital told me that they would call me to schedule pre-ops and a group consult with my surgeon. I can't understand how everyone is going to get all their questions answered or how you develop any kind of trust or whatever with the surgeon....Has anyone only had a group consult? If so, was it enough and did you feel comfortable and safe with that? At this point, I cant switch b/c my hubbys ins is changing Sept 1 and he also is looking for another job...It took 10 years, three jobs, and 2 husbands(ins denials)to get this far and I am deathly afraid to cancel.    — cherokey55 (posted on July 10, 2002)

July 10, 2002
Hi Terri! Last year when I had a different insurance, I went to a surgeon I didn't really want to go to. He does the DS and that wasn't the route I wanted to go but I chose him because he's the only one I knew or cared to look for that would except my insurance. Well when I called to schedule an appointment for my first consult, she told me that it will be a group consult. I wasn't very pleased with that. I really wanted the doctor to deal with me on an individual bases and answer ALL my questions and concerns. Which I did not have any time at all to do because there were 5 people in one consult and only 1 hour to spare. It's not that I didn't feel safe, because some people asked questions I hadn't even thought about. I just didn't feel comfortable. But even though it was a group consult, I didn't think of not going to him because of it. I know if I had any questions, I could just call them up later and ask and they were a really good doctor's office, always returned a call...I even got to chat online with that surgeon. Depends on how comfortable YOU feel with the surgeon. You are so close to your surgery date. Maybe you should ask to talk to other people who are seeing him and see how they feel or others who've seen him. Going to one of his support group meetings might help. Best of luck to you!!!
   — Samar M.

July 10, 2002
If you click the link on your profile page for your doctor you'll see all his patients that have listed themselves here. I read glowing reports there! I'd suggest your write to some of his former patients and see how they are doing now and how well the group consult worked for them. A little something to think about...in most cases we barely get to meet surgeons, let alone grill them with a lot of questions (emergency heart surgery, emergency gall bladder surgery, etc.). We are fortunate in that we can.
   — [Deactivated Member]