Medical University of South Carolina Bariatrics Bariatric Center

I went for my initial consult on 6/2/05 and was thinking that I was scheduled to see Dr. Byrne. I was surprised at how young she was, but was reassured in the group consult Dr. Byrne did that she is very capable and a good surgeon. Dr. Morgan is very nice and answered all of mine and my husbands questions. I have my pre-op on 9/8/05, I hope I get to see her, but who knows when it comes to a hospital as big as Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).

Dr. Byrne is a "Tell it like it is!" kind of guy. He doesn't pussy-foot around and make it sound like this surgery and the year after it is going to be a piece of cake. He'll give the good, the bad, and the ugly of weight loss surgery. It was kind of hard for me to take him seriously because he kind of seems like he "doesn't care" when you ask him a question. That, however, is not the case. He may not have the best bedside manner or personal communication skills, but I would trust him to take care of my needs any day! He did a fine job on my surgery. He was positive on his drop-ins in the hospital. He was encouraging at my 2 week staple-removing visit. All I can say is THANK YOU DR. BYRNE!

I cannot begin to say enough good things about Dr. Byrne and his staff! My first impression of him was, "I like a doctor who is straight-forward with a dry sense of humor!" That's how I am myself. Every single staff member I came in contact with was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, which made me so much at ease.

My best advice is do what they tell you to do and you can't go wrong. Read my profile and you'll see what I mean!

As for follwoup care, everyone should know that it is for life. There is a timeframe for visits, but they also stress that should you need anything or have any problems or issues they want to hear from you right away.

I knew the risks with the surgery, but I also knew the risks I would have in the future if I did not have it; so I chose surgery.

Dr. Byrne and staff all are very competent and extraordinary people because they really do care and that to me, makes all the difference in the world. The only negative thing I can say is that for my first post-op appointment I had to wait 45 minutes to be seen. Wow, big deal; we all need to be patient and realize we are there to see a doctor and not waiting in line at the grocery store.

I think Dr. Byrne and his staff did a great job on my initial visit. They were so informative and I am excited and ready to get on with my new life - just hope insurance will cooperate!

Very nice and caring. He was very upfront and honest, and because I had another stomach surgery that put me at high risk, he took a lot of time with me and gave me the names of other surgeons at Emory and VA Commonwealth to contact for their opinions as well. Those doctors also contacted me very quickly. I have been very pleased with his overall concern and approach. He wants his patients to be very well informed so they can make the right decision.

We also attended the group meeting where he discussed the surgery itself and what to expect and aftercare, and he was extremely detailed and patient with the many questions this one lady kept asking. The rest of the room was ready to scream, but he kindly and patiently stood there and answered her barrage of questions. These questions are all answered in the group meeting once per month with the dieticians and nurses.

He was very friendly. Tried to scare you at first, but I think they try to weed out the weak ones. I actually consulted with his partner, Dr. Morgan, a female. She was very nice.

The office staff was very nice. Considering they lost my file on the first visit, everything went well after it was found.

Overall rating A+. Dr. Byrne is a fine surgeon with a dry wit. He was honest and thorough in his pre and post-operative consults/visits. He comprehensively outlined the risks and benefits of surgery (which I had throughly researched myself prior to my first visit with him). I am 4+ years post-op and I've done very well overall. The majority of his office staff were helpful and friendly. I feel that his surgical competence, based on my experience and knowledge of his focus on WLS, is very high. I had some complications during surgery which were handled well. I did feel that some of the MUSC hospital staff (mainly nursing/care staff) were sufficiently trained to deal with the care of a post-op bariatric patient. I had a sense that they (but not all of them), seemed to lack compassion for a patient struggling with obesity. (ie. a very 'off-handed manner'- treating the patient as if they must not be very intelligent because they are obese-). I'd like to think that in the years that have passed since my surgery, the MUSC Nursing Staff are better trained to assist post-op bariatric patients. The majority of the nursing staff were very caring and supportive. Naturally, these views are my own based on my own personal experience as a patient. Overall, my experience was a positive one.

I've had one appointment so far, the initial "am I worthy" of the surgery interview. The shrink was an "intern", seem to know what he was doing. The dietician was informative. Then I met Dr. Morgan...I was under the impression I was waiting to see Dr Byrnes...I had to ask her who she was. She said she would be doing my surgery. First impression...how old is she, how many of these has she done, she looks my age..30. Nice enough, nothing outstanding, but then I was with her all of 10-15 mins. There was supposed to be a group meeting that afternoon, only me and one other surgery candidate showed. I met Dr Byrnes then and he covered all the possible bad things that could happen and all the possible insurance nightmares that could happen along with after surgery if the doctor says you are ready to go..get out because they need the beds. Blunt but point taken...keep em moving ... next... cattle call.... but I wont be a cow for long :) More to come, preop labs and xrays Nov 4th, Surgery Nov 8th
11-04-04
Pre-op testing day I never saw Dr Morgan, first I saw a student who did not know what to ask me or why I was there or what stage of the process I was in, whom then said let me go get Dr Byrnes. Then in came Dr Byrnes and another fellow whom I was passed off to and DR Byrnes left. This new guy was the cheif resident that would be assisting Dr Morgan during my surgery, he asked me all the same questions, rewrote my chart on a new peice of paper and sent me on my way.
11-08-04
Day of Surgery, I finally saw Dr. Morgan for maybe 3 minutes before surgery, don't remember anything else.
11-09-04 thru 11-10-04
During my stay I saw Dr. Morgan once, the Cheif resident once, and many other doctors, residents, students, interns from the "team"
11-18-04
My 10 day follow up appt, I never saw Dr. Morgan..notice a pattern of lack of personalized or any attention? She is a nice lady, I just don't feel I got my share of her attention or supervision. This appt was worthless, I needed guidance, support, no one wanted to look at my journal, no one asked about my protein or water intact, or if I was even eating the right foods. I was left in a room 45 minutes, before I walked out and made eye contact with an intern who said Morgan was stuck in surgery. I honestly have no personal problem with Morgan aside from she wouldnt be able to pick me out of a line up. Im glad she was taking care of a patient on short notice, my beef is with the whole system and being forgotten and then pushed thru like cattle at a critical stage in my process. The resident did a quick once over with me, chastized me for being impatient, then sent in Dr Byrnes who gave me a whole 5 minutes of his time, asked how much I lost, said good good, and tried to run out, but I was able to get 2 quick questions in and a precrip for the phlebitus from IV in my arm and vein. I expected someone would care about me, that the dietician would come in and check my progress..I was jsut told next apt 30 days...can you imagine the damage I could do to my body in another 30 days if I wasnt doing things right? sigh
Maybe if Byrnes had done my surgery he might have felt more inclined to care about my journey. rate 6
My actual surgeon DR Morgan rates 5 in personalized service, but Im alive and functioning with no surgical complications so she gets a 8 for her operating skills.
Let me also clearify MUSC is a teaching hospital, I understand the use of and teaching/learning process of the students and interns etc...just did not care for the inpersonality of them. If they had just read the chart before they walk in and say "why are you here?"...just a thought instead of reading chart in front of me.
03-19-05 The more I see of Dr Morgan the more I like her, my last 2 appointments went well, she answered all my questions, and made me feel good about my progress.

It scared me that she looked so young, but I knew that meant nothing compared to the knowledge she had. After the first inital visit I knew I had made the right decision and she reassured me with any answers to the questions I had for her. She was very informative and explained things in terms that I could understand. Dr Morgans ofc staff is great . They treat everyone with kindness and compassion and smile everytime you see them. I would rate Dr Morgan a 10 !

1/06/2005 appointment