Bariatric & Metabolic Institute Bariatric Center
On my first visit with Dr. Schauer I didn't get to talk with him very long. But at my final visit before surgery I sat down with him one on one and voiced my concerns. He was so understanding and he told me this was the best thing that I could do for myself and he knows I can do it. Three of the nurses on his staff have had the surgery and they offer not only professional, but person help through their own experiences.
Now that I have had my surgery I can truely say that Dr. Shauer is a great man. He makes you feel like you are not a failure and that you can do this and lose the weight. I would recommend him to anyone.
I had posted pre op comments, and need to update, Dr. Schauer was just the best! His staff couldn\'t have been more helpful post op, saw me through some rough days, and were all just great.
All my calls & questions were addressed promptly and professionally. My course will be a bit altered by the cancer treatment, but I have every confidence that Dr, Schauer\'s group was the one I want to oversee the whole process.
Overall rating, four star!
Both were outstanding.
The first time I met my surgeon Dr. Schauer he instantly put me at ease. Over the course of my pre-tests and doctor visits he always made a point to get me in as quickly as possible. The longest wait I ever had was waiting for the approval of the insurance.
His office staff was great. Without one nurse Cheryl Greico I would not have managed to keep my sanity. She was truly amazing. I am so thankful that she reached out and became more than a nurse, but a friend.
The after care program is very structured. Of course they do let you know that each person moves at there own speed and not to rush anything.
If I was going to have this surgery again or refer family and friends I would definitley, enthusiastically give them Dr. Schauers name. I am from CA and only recently moved to PA and I would still refer them to Dr. Schauers office in PA.
Dr. Schauer was AMAZING. We live in Michigan and drove to Pittsburgh for this surgeon. He is the head of Laparoscopic surgery at UPMC. My dad and I both had our Roux-en-y there. Anyway, on our initial consult, Dr. Schauer sat down with us for over an hour. While in his waiting room, we met people who traveled from all over the country to see him. They said he was worth the wait, and they were RIGHT! We went with a list of questions and he answered EVERYTHING in detail. I was VERY impressed. My impression is still the same to this day. I highly recommend him. His office staff was also wonderful. His nurses, Beth & Laura also went through the surgery, so they were of GREAT help. The only thing I really didnt like about Dr. Schauer was that I didnt see him in the hospital after my surgery. I saw a resident named Dr. Barbados who was NOT warm at all. I really wanted to see Dr. Schauer but he went out of town right after my surgery. That kind of bothered me. The aftercare was not empahsized much by them because I was out of state. They told me to follow up with a local doctor. It is tough to go to a doctor that far away, however, I did travel back there for a follow up visit 3 months after surgery. I have continued my follow up with a local internist. About the risks, he sent us a HUGE packet with all the research he could find on this surgery. It explained all the risks and chanllenges, and he also explained them at our initial consut. Overall, I feel I chose the BEST doctor possible.
I had Adjustable Gastric Banding on October 25, 2001. I beleieve that Dr. Schauer is a leader in his field. My surgery and recovery were essentially problem-free, allowing me to give a "thumbs up" for Dr. Schauer. My biggest concern, which is specific to AGB surgery only, is that I had to practically harass the nurse practioner to give me a date for my first filling of the band. Most of my calls went unreturned until I made a nuisance of myself. Finally, I was given an appointment date for December 21st, 2001. The journey continues....
Well, my impressions of him are that he is highly experienced and qualified. He has a way of putting you at ease during the appointment. His office is very busy, though. And it's sometimes difficult to get in touch with the staff. I guess I'll have more to write after my surgery.
Dr. Schauer made quite an impression. He seems very confident and doesn't talk down to you. I could tell he wanted to answer all our questions and be available for us. I definitely like him and after meeting his team, I can see why they are considered the best in the area. I give him a "10". He told us we were patients for life and that aftercare was until death do us part!! I liked that. I also liked that he was very upfront about the whole thing....from dumping to vomiting to weight regain and complications from the surgery. He didn't sugarcoat. I am only disappointed that he was with us for such a short time as he had someone waiting in the OR for surgery and had to run...I just hope that some of the things I have read don't happen to me..lost paperwork, and stuff like that. Will update when necessary.
Dr. Philip Schauer looks deceivingly young for his extensive experience. He is a very compassionate and well educated surgeon. My first meeting with him was as part of a group appointment, which is the preliminary to submission for insurance approval for surgery. He presented information to us regarding surgical options and was more than willing to answer any questions that we had. As he says, no questions is stupid, so go ahead and ask. The group setting was beneficial because I was able to see other patients and hear their stories or their questions, which answered many of my own. Dr. Schauer will gladly defer the answer to many questions to his staff, some of whom have gone through the surgery. Although he is the surgeon, he does not present himself as the "be all, end all" of this procedure and sees value in letting his patients speak of their experiences post-op. The UPMC Weight Management program is a lifetime commitment on both the patient and the clinic's part. Your aftercare is very important to them, both for your own well being and their continuing education in the WLS field. Dr. Fernstrom, who heads the clinic, spoke to us about the support system that is available to us both pre and post-op and encouraged us to take advantage of the use of their knowledge and staff. I am looking forward to working with the UPMC staff as I move forward with this great adventure. Although it takes quite a long time to get into Dr. Schauer's program, it took me quite a while longer to get to this point in my weight battle and can wait a little longer for resolution. I am fortunate to live in Pittsburgh and to have such a comprehensive program as is available through the Weight Management Clinic and Dr. Schauer's office.
I am a patient of Dr. Philip Schauer. I had my surgery on September 24th at Presbyterian University Hospital. I had the surgery done open due to past surgical procedures. I was very pleased with the treatment I received at the hospital. Although I saw very little of Dr. Schauer, his residents were wonderful. There was one resident that was very supportive and made time to explain all of the information I sought. I know that his first name was Mike and last name began with a Gig....I am unsure of his last name. He was on Dr. Schauer's service in September. I had to have a pic line placed in my arm so that I could be fed for 18 hours a day through my veins....I was terrified...Mike called me and explained everything to me and did not seem as if I was a big pain in the butt. He exhibited excellent bedside manner and will make a wonderful surgeon when he completes school. Matt was the other resident I was associated with the most and he also proved to be invaluable. But, the one staff person that I can not say enough about is Cheryl Grieco. She found time to answer all of my questions and to be very supportive of me. I was sent home with 18 hours of interveneous liquid feeding per day. A visiting nurse came to my home to assist me with this. There was a question if I had a leak or not. Cheryl checked on me almost daily and also answered questions I had concerning this process. Dr. Schauer has a very qualified staff, but Cheryl is the shining star among them all.