Question:
Teaching hospitals?
I have just found out that the hospital where I will be having surgery is a teaching hospital. Does anyone have any thoughts to share on this? It kinda makes me nervous but the hospital has been recognized as a hospital of excellence for WLS, and I have heard good things about it. — Kristi K. (posted on June 22, 2008)
June 22, 2008
Hi Kristi,
I don't think you have a thing to worry about! If it is a hospital of
excellence then you are good to go. They have so much testing and red tape
to go through to become a hospital of excellence in the first place. I
would feel perfectly comfortable using that hospital even if it is a
teaching hospital. That may even make it better for you. You'll be in good
hands I'm sure! Best to you and your upcoming surgery!
— Jean N.
June 22, 2008
I am having my surgery at Stanford Hospital in CA and I'd rather have my
surgery there than by some doctor who had guest privileges at a string of
hospitals all over the state.
Marti P.
— Marti P.
June 22, 2008
Hi Kristi, I had my surgery done at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston,
MA and its a teaching hospital associated with Harvard Medical School. The
"student doctors" are there to watch and learn and may ask you
questions, but they don't touch you (liability issues). I answer their
questions and they come and go with the doctor. One of the student doctors
I got friendly with when I was in the hospital and he even asked if he
could sit in to watch my surgery since he was at 85% of the pre op appts
and saw me "shrink" from 336 to 304. He has since graduated but
we still keep in touch through email. He is also great for a quick question
I need answered as his major is Bariatric surgery. Its nothing to worry
about! --Karen
— Karen M.
June 22, 2008
I had my surgery at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. It is a
teaching hospital and I would not change a thing. I had both of my children
there too. You get so much more personal care because of the students and
them wanting to have something to do. They do ask a lot of questions and
the doctors tend to be around a lot more so that they can explain or
"teach" the procedures to them...anyway, I would not worry about
a thing..I think it is better to use a teaching hospital...Good luck to
you!
— gonnaB1hotmama
June 22, 2008
I had surgery at a teaching hospital also. I was very happy with the care
I received. My surgeon teaches at Johns Hopkins. I will say that it was
odd to wake up one morning and find 7 medical students at the end of my
bed. But, my results have been great. The hospital I was at is a Center
of Excellence for WLS too.
— itsjust4me
June 22, 2008
Hi, Kristi. Like the others have written, no worries about a teaching
hospital. They are the best hospitals you can go to since the medical
faculty, who are on the cutting edge of progress, are teaching the students
about the best and latest techniques and such. If I had a choice, I would
pick a teaching hospital every single time for every single procedure.
dana
— jujuprof
June 22, 2008
Well just think of Grey's Anatomy that is a teaching hospital. But
seriously, I was at Baylor University's Teaching Hospital in Texas when I
was 17. I did have a group of doctors come in with my main doctor, it
annoyed me but I was at the bratty stage, 17 yrs old. I received excellent
medical care, they determined I did not have leukemia, and iron and C and a
"D and C" were all I needed for hemorrhagging and an unusually
low platelet count, which is what they were honing in on and kept me there
for 10 days. My husband was kicked out of his first valve completion on
the 4th day when he was still wobbly and couldn't make it to the aftercare
meeting on his floor. They said they were an "aggressive care"
hospital. I thought they just needed the bed. Thank God he made it. Now
at 51, I never had anything but a regular platelet count, and it is
slightly more toward the high end of norm than low. It is an advantage
that you will be at a teaching hospital. Don't worry, there will be
Teachers there!! These teachers will be fine doctors and have access to
all kind of specialists. It is the ones who are 60 or 70 and a big yawn to
their 5000th surgery that I worry about. Are their minds on what they are
doing or are they on autopilot? Best to you and you'll be fine, I'm sure.
— butterfliesarefree
June 22, 2008
When I had my knee replacements and back surgery, my doctor was the
Professor at Southwestern Medical School and his students watched and
learned how to do the procedures and you couldn't be in better hands to
watch how everyone treats you. So much attention. When I had my children,
I was in a teaching hospital. Everyone there was just great. This
hospital was St. Paul University in Dallas, Tx. and when my daughter was 18
months old she liked to had lost her life and leg and was sent to another
teaching hospital because they had the staff and facilities that she needed
and it is recognize also and it was Parkland Hospital in Dallas Texas. You
will be fine.
— dyates2948
June 22, 2008
Hi Kristi, I work at a teaching hospital and some people feel nervous.
You have the right to tell the staff that no one but the surgeon can do the
surgery. Read the consents carefully and bring a perm. marker to mark out
the anything you do not feel comfortable with. It is okay for students to
watch.
— jen-mom
June 22, 2008
I had heart surgery in 2000 at Sanford Hospital in Palto Alto,and received
great service. My RNY was do at a traing hospital for doctors. I opted
not to b e becrossed or recorded, but the service was great and I found the
advantage was you had two people to do the same task, one that trained
andone the was learing. Whe the learner had an isseu, you had a supervisor
there to help. I was find and I loved the extra attention., I think you
will be happy if you have confidence in your and your choice of sergeons.
You want him to be the teacher not the student, Best of success to you.
— William (Bill) wmil
June 22, 2008
I think you should be sure it is a hospital that knows how to handle
gastric bypass patients. The dr I am sure is a good dr correct? You checked
him out first right? <ostof the problems that arise are by the people
who are taking care of you and knowing or not knowing how to deal with
gastric by[ass patients. I was in a hosptial that was exactly that and
everything was fine
— Joanc
June 22, 2008
I had my surgery at a teaching hospital and everything was fine. I actually
feel I received a little bit better care becasue they were very attentive
and asking questions because they want to learn and also they are up to
date on the latest and newest technology.
I wish you the best.
Lynn
— Lynnmon
June 23, 2008
Who wouldn't want to have cutting edge care? No seriously...The lead
surgeons/teachers are best in their field. They are showing others what to
do. I had my surgery done at a teaching hospital four years ago by the
head of the department. Now I wasn't crazy about being an open book to
everyone else, but I know and appreciate that I, myself would never had the
opportunity to become a teacher if someone hadn't opened their classroom to
me when I was learning about teaching school. These young surgeons are
learning from the best and they don't get to help until they've shown the
ability to observe and explain very carefully about what is going on. Only
then do they get to assist and work their way up.
— AlleeM
June 23, 2008
Hi Kristi
I had my surgery done at at a teaching hospital and I got great care. I
also had mine done at a hospital of excellence and the regulations to
maintain that rating are phenomenal. The care I got was great and I would
recommend my surgeon and this hospital.
Good luck with your future plans.
— sunsetyellow
June 23, 2008
I have been to several teaching hospitals with my husband that was
terminally ill and he received better care there than in a non teaching
hospital, so think possitive about a teaching hospital they have the best
drs. and staff
— humper
June 23, 2008
It depends on the hospital but generally I'd say that it's a good idea. My
surgery (laproscopic RNY) was not done in a teaching hospital per se but
was done by a practicing surgeon learning the new (for him) procedure under
the watchful eye and guidance in the O.R. of an experienced RNY surgeon
associated with a local medical school (Stanford). I had an excellent
outcome.
— [Deactivated Member]
June 24, 2008
Ok, I am going to preface my response with the fact that I am known to be
an optimistic and positive person. Having said that, I say this:
I am a nurse who was told by a surgeon that the only reason facilities want
to be deemed a "Center for Excellence" is so that Medicare will
pay for their patients to have surgery there. Sure the title sounds nice
but......
Also, my surgeon wanted me to have my WLS and hernia repair at the actual
teaching hospital I worked for at the time as he prefers to do his patients
with larger BMI's and those who are having multiple procedures done
there.... also, it would have been much cheaper for me there as it was all
out of pocket for me. I NEVER, EVER would have allowed that to happen for
2 reasons:
(1) I saw the staffing shortage and the inadequate quality of care being
an actual employee there. One of the reasons I quit.
(2) I was having surgery in August, new Interns always come out in July
every year and it is always a nightmare. Nurses actually schedule time off
purposely during this time. I didn't want anyone other than my actual
surgeon touching me. No matter what you hear, these new medical staffers
are there to learn and they do a lot more than they are supposed to or that
they should a lot of the times. I know they have to learn, and you should
be able to insist on who works on you, unfortunately, that isn't always the
way it goes.
To all of you that have had great experiences in teaching hospitals, I am
so thankful and grateful for you. It is a personal decision and not the
way to go for me.
I hope this didn't come off as negative as much as me "being
real".
Good luck,
Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
— DawnVic
July 1, 2008
I'm late on your question as I have been on vacation. :<)
I had my RNY done at George Washington University Hospital be cause that is
the only hospital approved by Kaiser of the MidAtlantic for their patients.
You will note the "University" in the name. My husbands first
question to the surgeon was who would be performing the surgery. She
assured us that she did all the actual work, her interns asked questions,
answered questions, performed the blue dye leak test and removed tubes
under her supervision. She is very professional but has a calm and kind
bedside manner, so she is training them well in all areas. I really felt
that I got extra attention because they were there, an besides all that,
they were pretty attractive, if you get my drift ;<}. I would attend
some support group meetings and ask about other peoples experiences with
the surgeon and and the teaching hospital.
— canim150
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