Johns Hopkins Obesity Surgery Center Bariatric Center

I met with Dr S and I have nothing but good things to say about the doctor and his staff. They were all very nice. Dr, S struck me as being the most experienced in his field, and I trust him fully. His secretary Debbie is wonderful to deal with, and I am looking forward to the day when I am free of this weight. rnrnI had a very small problem and I commend my doctor and his staff for prompt attention and the care they gave to me. I am so glad I selected Dr Schweitzer for my doc, I think he is the greatest.

Dr Schweitzer is a terrific surgeon technically - I sought him out because of his numbers, he's done a lot of roux-en-Y's , and his complication rate is low. So it was a statistical decision mostly. As far as bedside manner... he's ok, he's all about business and that's it. No chit-chat, no social/emotional stuff. Since my surgery nearly 1 yr ago now, I've seen Dr Schweitzer only 2 times, mostly I've seen Pat the NP. I would prefer, since he knows intimately my inner workings, that I see Dr Schweitzer, but that's not likely. Even when I requested to follow-up with him I got Pat because he had another engagement. So if you want a hand holder or a \"present\" surgeon, then Dr Schweitzer may not be your man. The aftercare program is very loose and unstructured in my opinion, not requiring anything of you if you so choose. There are support/informational meetings regularly scheduled where you can get a lot of info from those \"who have been there\". I researched this surgery to death, so i was very aware of the possible complications. Dr Schweitzer has a booklet that explains all about the surgery and after reading it, Dr Schweitzer will answer any of your questions. I had a question for him which I asked via e-mail and he responded very quickly. Good luck with your research and if you decide to have the surgery!!! Just keep in mind that these have been my experiences and are only my opinion. Have a meeting with Dr Schweitzer and decide for yourself. Take care!

My first impression of Dr.Schweitzer was, he is to the point. He was willing to answer all my questions and willing to tell me when he did not know the answer. His staff so far has been wonderful. They are informative and helpful. I am sure I will have more to say as surgery gets closer, but thus far I am very impressed with Dr. Schweitzer and his staff.rnI am home after surgery and I still feel Dr. Schweitzer is the best in his field. His surgical competence is outstandong. i do not think he has the best personable skills, however; I did not chose him to get a friend I wanted the best surgeon. I am very glad i had Dr. Schweitzer perform the surgery.

I thought and still think that Dr. Schweitzer is a professional and outstanding surgeon. I know that some think that he is kind of dry, but I find him to have a quirky sense of humor. Also, I was looking for the best surgeon, not a best friend. I would rate him an A+++ he is awesome. I feel great and I have him to thank for in reality saving my life. I can't say enough about him.

I went with Dr. Schweitzer because I did my research, and he is the best. His professionalism and knowledge is second to none. He made all of my worries go away. He was glad to know that I was going to the Support Group at Bayview to let them know what a great experience I had. I've had other abdominal surgeries in the past, and the Dr. knew there would be alot of scar tissue, but he was still able to do lap RNY. I did so well I went home the very next day. I was in the hospital for a little over 24 hrs. I can't rate him high enough.

He is the best Doctor ever

After much study, fear and trepidation, I had Laparascopic RNY with Dr Schweitzer on April 3, 2007. I originally wanted the Lap Band surgery, but was told that I did not have the right body type for that particular WLS. I am so glad that I chose him to do my surgery. Though he is not the most personable doctor I've ever met, his experience and expertise in WLS speaks for itself. His surgical competence far exceeds many others in his field. The surgery itself went great though I did have to spend the first night in the SICU because I have sleep apnea but do not use my CPAP machine. The SICU unit at Johns Hopkins Bayview seems a little chaotic at times, but I guess that was to be expected. Once I moved upstairs to the 6th floor, everything was much better. I had the greatest nurses there on the 6th floor. Natashia and Morning were my nurses that evening and I can not say enough about them. The were definitely a God send. Dr. Schweitzer and his nurse Pat Jordan are great . His office staff on the otherhand is not very attentive at all. They are almost impossible to get a hold of and they do not return phone calls which is very frustrating. I would definitely recommend Dr Schweitzer to anyone considering WLS. If you want the best he is definitely your man.

Having Dr. S has been the best decision I have ever made! Since my surgery, he has been so accessible when I have had issues. At one point, when my orthostatic symptoms started, Dr. S was emailing me info at 11pm on a Saturday night! Not many doctors will do that. In fact, not many doctors would communicate with their patients through email at all! And his staff? Let's just say that his entire staff is at the top of their game!

My first impression was he seems like a reasonable fellow. He did NOT attempt to SELL me. He told me he felt that I am a good candidate and the reasons. He explained the risks, and possible complications. He encouraged me to attend the free support groups at Hopkins. Dr. Magnuson works with a nurse practioner (Pat Jordon) that handles some of the paperwork and questions. Both Dr. Magnuson and Pat were very professional and very likeable. I asked about Open vs Lap and he explained why he chooses open. He further offered to refer me to someone that does the surgery via LAP - if I felt that would be a better choice. The entire Johns Hopkins program has been terriffic from the very beginning.

Although I wont meet him till the day before surgery, we have spoke on the phone, and he answers all email within 24 hrs..post script: I didnt travel from Houston to make a new friend...I wanted the best surgeon possible and I had him. Dr.S is a great surgeon and although he is straightforward and no nonsense when it comes to surgery, he does have a sense of humor.