Question:
WHAT DOCTOR IN PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA IS SEEING PATIENTS QUICKLY?

HELP!DISCOURAGED BUT NOT GIVING UP!<SIGH> LET'S BOTTOMLINE THIS TOPIC~WHO'S SEEING PATIENTS QUICKLY WITHOUT MONTHS OF LONG WAITING PERIODS HERE IN PHILADELPHIA,PA OR SURROUNDING AREAS HERE IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. I'VE SEEN SEVERAL DOCTORS, INSURANCE PAID FOR TESTING. THEN HAD TO APPEAL AND LOST! THEN SAW ANOTHER DOCTOR AND WENT THRU PROCEDURES ETC...AND STILL NO SURGERY! ALL OF THIS TOOK OVA 15 MONTHS OUT OF MY LIFE!    — PAMELA B. (posted on August 10, 2004)

August 10, 2004
Are you now approved? You will not like this but finding a highly qualfied experienced surgeon should be more important than saving a couple months. New bariatric surgeons tend to have shorter wait times but thats not necessarily a good thing:( Just something to think about...
   — bob-haller

August 10, 2004
I would have to agree with Bob. The best doctors are going to have long waiting periods because those are the doctors that people want to do their surgery. <p> Should you decide to go for the best instead of the quickest, my recommendation is the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania - with Dr. Noel Williams (my wife's surgeon) or Dr. Steven Raper (my surgeon). I have also heard that Dr. Matt Kirkland at Pennsylvania Hospital does good work...JR (open RNY 07/17/02 (2 oz pouch, 75 cm bypassed) - Dr. Raper, HUP - 440/427/213/213 (AT GOAL!!!))
   — John Rushton

August 10, 2004
You can try Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown. Call their HealthCall and they can refer you to one of their 2 sugeons. They don't have the usual long wait but do have a wonderful follow-up and support program. Several people from the Philadelphia area had their surgery there.
   — cat5dog1

August 11, 2004
Hi Pamela: I am going to mirror what the others have told you about choosing the best surgeon over ones that have wide open schedules. Been there, done that...still paying for it, 10 months post op, still picking up the pieces of having an inexperienced surgeon. In the scope of this process, 15 months is not a long time at all. Many have researched for years before having surgery, all reasonable and prudent. In the meantime, work on get yourself as healthy as you possibly can BEFORE you have the surgery, the benefits will astound you. Take good care and best of luck to you!
   — Jackie O.

August 11, 2004
I am goig to see Dr. Wernsing from Pennsylvania Hospital on the 25th. I had to wait about a month for my appointmnent. I have spoken to quite a few people who have had surgery done by him and everyone was very pleased with him. I hope everything goes well for you.
   — lbruzzese

August 13, 2004
I saw Dr. Walter Cha (Crozer Chester 610 872-2000. I love that man and I have no end of good things to say about him. I got an apt. about 1 month after I called.
   — Kerijohnson