Grand Traverse Surgery, P.C. Bariatric Center

I was one of doctor Featherstones first lap band patients .He is a great doctor i would recomend him to anyone looking for a good surgeon.He keeps you informed to what is going on .Hie office staff are all very nice people.

I had my initial surgical consult today with Dr Nizzi. I have been to him in the past for a colonoscopy, so I already had a high opinion of him. I felt completely comfortable with Dr Nizzi. He was very informative and relaxed. I didn't feel that he was rushed at all. In fact, my appointment went over 2 hours, which from what he said, is not a rare thing.rnI also have a high opinion of Mary Kay, Sharon and the rest of the staff. Aftercare and support meetings are stressed as being key components. I really found the dietician that works with this office to be a big help. She had lots of great ideas.rnI would rate Dr Nizzi's competence and bedside manner as excellent. There have been three doctors in my lifetime that I trusted and felt totally at ease with, and Dr Nizzi is one of those. I have no hesitations whatsoever about surgery as long as Dr Nizzi is the surgeon.

My first impression of Dr. Slikkers was great very down to earth, I have met with him twice now I'm having my surgery this Friday April 14,2006 I can't wait. Dr.Slikkers was straight to the point about this not being a quick fix to weight loss. It will life long. At this point an time I would have to rate him a 10 because I have intrusted him with my life.

Doctor Featherstone is the best! I went thru the whole surgery day knowing I was in the best hands and was not scared worried or upset. It is so nice to know that your doc is there for you. He has a fantastic bedside manner. The staff at GTS is fantastic too. Aftercare is a big part of there service as they said they are with me for life. Doctor Featherstone told me all the risks not sugar coated either. He tells you as it is which is what I like in a doctor. I do not think there is a better surgeon or team out there.

Priscilla Simmons

I have been so impressed with everyone at Grand travers surgery!! And think dr. Featherstone is wonderful, have no questions about his ability!

My first impression of Dr. Slikkers was that he is very nice, good bedside manner, truly cares about the patients and he was very thorough. At 8 months out, he is still all of those things. Some days, I feel like a guineau pig with all the things that have gone wrong but I feel that none of that was the fault of any particular doctor. All people heal differently.

My personal impression was. At First I thought that Marry Kay ran everything and Dr. Nizzi Was a puppet on a string. Shows you how much I know. I Feel that GTS has a verry well oiled machine. Every staff person is a spoke on the wheel and if one spoke is missing the other make up for it by taking on other jobs to make everyting run smoothly and without complaint. Dr Nizzi ran lots of test at first in my personal opnion I thought it was a money making thing. But after a few test (and not getting the result I would have liked to get) I knew he was truly looking out for my health and that help put me at ease. The more I saw of Dr. Nizzi the more I saw he was in charge but not in the way that would make you think he was the "All Powerful OZ" but he cared about you and what was happening with you and your case. MY Mother and I Went to every appointment together (she also had WLS with Dr. Nizzi) now at these appointments we would go into the exam room together and We would be Weighed by Sharon, who put us in the room and asked how we were. Marry Kay would come in shortly after and she would greet us warmly and corectly (she knew who was the mother and who was the daughter. She even knew our names!) Marry Kay would go over any test we had done and explain what the next set of test were for, why one of us had to have one test but not the other. She always called with the results of the test and instruction for fallow up and or the next test with dates and times already set up and if those dates and times did not work she got you one that did and confermed that verry day. As Marry Kay was finishing up Dr. Nizzi would come in and he would go over our test with us too and ask if we had questions and he would answer every silly one we asked He never made us feel we were taken up too much of his time and he never left us feeling like "Ohh man he realy rushed us in and out I forgot to ask what blah- blah was and how to do this or that" Like you do at most offices. I have only meet the other Doctors breffly but They too give off the same "Spoke of the wheel" team work air that the rest of the staff and Dr Nizzi give off. As for addressing the risks of the surgery. He told it like it is. Not in a bed of roses kind of way. Kinda like Joe Friday "the facts mam just the facts." It was kinda scary, even though we knew through our own reasurch, but that a doctor would tell you all this stuff that could go wrong, and that they would not leave you if anything would go wrong the Doctors would be with you every step of the way. After Care is a Huge part of the program. I am at 6 months post op and have see Dr Nizzi about 10 times! as I have said he answered every silly question I had (my moms too) and he did not leave me when things went not so right (nothing major but to me it was and he treated it as such not like "Oh no not her again! Im not in.") Warm smiles and soft hand shakes every time. Which is better, surgical competence or bedside manner? well Competence by far out ways bedside manner (that is what family is for!) but Those who have any surgen from GTS gets the best of both worlds I am sure of that in my personal opinion. I know my mother and I got both form Dr. Nizzi and his whole staff at GTS. Overall how would I rate Dr. Nizzi I would say A,B,C,and D for Above and Beyond the Call of Duty! I like to think of him as my Father for he gave me a New well informed life and he will be with me till the day I die. Thank You Shelly P

Dr. Featherstone is a caring, informative, intelligent and committed man. I couldn't ask for a better surgeon!

I like Dr Slikkers very much. He is very personable and very caring. We talked alot about all my medical problems at the first visit. He is very well learned in what he does.And very cautious. The office staff was very nice indeed and very helpful to me. Dr Slikkers and his office staff are very into post op visits and aftercare. They want to see you every 6 months at first then at least once a year afterwards.Hr told me point blank what the risks are and I told him what my risks of keeping this weight on were.

He was very nice, has a great bed side manner. Best I have ever seen in a doc.

No, my impression has only gotten stronger, and we can now add that he has a GREAT sense of humor :)

The staff is very friendly, and willing to answer any and all questions.

There wasn't anything that I can say that I didn't like about Doc Featherstone.

That he cares about his patients. Genuinely cares!

They all emphasize that it is a HUGE part of the success of the surgery!

He lets you know all that can go wrong, and that it is a decesion that you should not go into lightly.

I rate Doc Featherstone at this point... A Saint!