Johns Hopkins Obesity Surgery Center Bariatric Center

My first impression of him was that he was concerned for my health.

His secretary is a wonderful, kindhearted person.

The doctors surgical competence was excellent.

I adore Dr. Magnuson. He is very knowledgable and personable. He is purely a bariatric surgeon. The one bad thing I have to say is about his secretaries, I had lots of problems with things not being faxed and reaching them by phone.

My first impression of Dr. Schweitzer was that he was very young.Considering wat I read from other postings, I was expecting him to be very to the point and not too friendly. That was not the case. I found him to be very friendly and at times funny. He was running late the day I met him ,but he did not rush me through. He answered my questions and soothed some of my fears.I especially like the fact that I can e-mail him with questions and concerns and that he will respond to me.Dr. Schweitzer stresed the importance of aftercare. This procedure is not a cure, but a tool, it can fail if you are not willing to change your current eating habits.
As with any surgery there are risksinvolved.
Dr. Schweitzer did go over the risks.
I would like my doctor to be comforting and reassuring, but 1st and foremost I want him to be surgically competent.

Dr. Schweitzer was wonderful. Very thorough. He may not be the doctor to remember you by face but he knows what he is doing in the operating room and that's what counts. His office staff is the best and very organized.

My first impression was DAMN HE IS CUTE!! On a serious note, he explained what would happen and answered all of my questions. His staff is the greatest. I know I got on Valerie (his secretary's) last nerve but she was so patient with me and that helped ease my nerves. and his Pat (his PA) is also wonderful. She returned all of my calls after surgery within 2-3 hours. I even have to say his nutrionist is wonderful. she answered all of my questions even though I did no see her in the initial nutrion appt. (she was not covered on my insurance).

My first impression of Dr. Magnuson was that he was very smart and understanding about my situation. The doctor did not get excited when he heard that I had Lupus and was taking prednisone. He was positive that he could help me and that I would still be healthy after the surgery.

My impression of Dr. Magnuson has not changed. My surgery date is Sept. 9, 2005 and I will update this site after the surgery. But Valerie and the Doctor are great.

My first impression of Dr. Magnuson is the confidence he had in him self when he walked into the room. He knows what he is there for and does everything possibble to assure you of the choice that you have made in this weight loss procedure.

Dr. Magnuson was very pleasant and professional.

I would recommend Dr. Schweitzer to anyone. If you're looking for someone to chat with and get personal with, he's not your guy. If you're looking for someone who will shoot straight and and make sure you know what you're doing and what to expect, he's the surgeon for you. All of my interactions with him were brief but I didn't walk away with questions unanswered. And...his staff and the staff at Johns Hopkins knows what he wants for his patients and what he expects for their care and you get it. I can tell from talking to those who work with him that he is well respected. I think the thing I like most, is he doesn't take chances. He told me what was 'normal' and what I should be concerned about. Because I live so far away from the hospital, he told me that in case of problems, that I should get to his emergency room but if I can't, I am to go to my local hospital and they can transport me to Hopkins. He said the local hospitals don't understand enough about the procedure to treat me properly. I like that he is that interested in my well-being. Surgical competence was the most important thing to me and that's exactly what I got.

Dr. S was the absolute BEST!!! I'd heard that he doesn't "warm up" until after surgery; I never had that issue. He answered all my questions thoroughly and thoughtfully while I was a pre-op, he made a point of meeting my family the morning of surgery, and came out to speak to them about my progress, he visited me during my stay, and even teased me about my cute pajamas!

His office is very friendly and knowledgeable. Pat is the best! They stress the importance of asking questions, taking it slow, and having SUPPORT.

He is a wonderful surgeon (I checked him out with previous patients in Baltimore and his prior offices), and I would recommend him to anyone. As good a rapport as he and I had, I would recommend him based on his surgical competence. Not that I didn't think he had a good bedside manner - he does! But, I'd rather have a leading, skilled surgeon than a mediocre surgeon who's adept at delivering the news of his/her incompetence to my family.

After reading the boards and looking into what other patients of Dr. S had to say I was amazed at how young he really did look for someone that has been in this field for so long. He was to the point and very warm. I would tell all my friends about Dr. S and say "He may have a cute face but he is one HELL Of a Doctor!"