Greater Colombia Bariatric Surgeons Bariatric Center

Have only just met the good doctor once. I live 2000 miles from his clinic.
He's very nice and extremely sympathetic. I do wish he weren't so apologetic for us, it's like, being fat is never our fault.
Shoot, I eat like a pig, why isn't it my fault I weigh 500 pounds? Also, he wants $7,000 for the surgery. Now don't get me wrong, I think he deserves everthing he can get for all the help he's been. But right now that's the sticking point to my getting the surgery. Blue cross only wants to pay him about $1,000 for it.
Office staff seem very nice and as helpfull as I could hope for.
From all I hear his aftercare is pretty great, but will have to wait to find out for myself.
this update 9/23/00. Will right more after surgery.

My first impression of dr fox was, he is a good man he got strat to the point and told you all pros/cons of the surgey.After one year of nowing him and his staff i still think thay are all wonderful.Dr Fox and Staff will help you any time of the day or night someone is always avalibal.Ypur aftercare from the srugery is very importen,and they well tell you and if you dont come they will call.Aftercare program they give lots of info. On what you need to do and you keep seeing the Dr every Month.Dr fox will tell you all the risks with surgery and tell what you can do to prevent it also.I would rate Dr Fox to be one of the best Drs. around.His surgical competence,bedsidemanner or all wonderful.He cares about everyone he works on.

Dr Fox was terrific. He really cares. You can tell from the first meeting that he and his staff are routing for you to succeed.

Aftercare is definately important. Dr Fox makes sure you are completely educated about the changes you are making to your body. He has support groups all over the Puget Sound area. Go to one and talk to others, it is the best way to find out what to expect and if you have any questions or complications you have valuable input from those who have been through it!

Overall rating is excellent in my opinion.

Dr. Ross cares about his weight loss patients. He is intelligent, funny, ahead-of-his-time and a real thought leader in the medical weight loss field.

His office staff is filled with compassionate, helpful, supportive and sharp people. There was a one glitch in the insurance department in getting my paperwork through the system, but as soon as I called to follow-up the paperwork and wrote Dr. Fox a personal e-mail, the ball was rolling and within a week my paperwork was faxed to my insurance company.

The people on his insurance staff, along with Steve and Carolyn the physician's assistants, really went the extra mile to compile the necessary information to get my case approved the first time.

Dr. Fox emphasizes aftercare more than any other doctor I interviewed. He supports monthly group meetings throughout the community and provides access to 24-hour-a-day question line for emergencies and chronic problems.

Dr. Fox is competent, professional, experienced and his patient's success rate of full weight loss is impressive. I highly recommend his office to anyone in the Tacoma/Seattle area.

Dr. Fox is very enthusiastic about his work and really cares about his patients' quality of life.

He is very busy and doesn't get enough time to see his patients on a personal basis.

His staff is terrific. Always helpful, responsive and cheerful.

His bedside manner is the best!

The aftercare provided by Dr. Fox's staff is extensive and persistant! The support group has been VERY helpful.

Complete information was provided on all risks. There was never any pressure, just total support if surgery is selected.

Very good.

Both great in my experience!

I first went to an informational meeting in Tacoma on Mar. 29th. The patient advocate and Dr. Fox answered the questions very well, no stone was left unturned. By May 2, I was in for my pre-op physical to be submitted to the insurance company and by June 20 I was in having my short medial RNY. Dr. Fox is an older gentleman and that might throw some people but he has 30 some odd years experience behind him. I never saw him personally until the morning of the surgery, his P.A. Steve has been my primary care person and Steve is wonderful. He takes the time to really answer questions and seems very interested (as do all of the people in Dr. Fox's office) in a positive experience for the patient. Dr. Fox has a great aftercare program and my care at Pugent Sound Hospital was very good. They even sent me a beautiful red rose while recovering. I rate them as a team a 10.

He has passion for his work. He has lots of experience.

Follow up could be better. The hospital he uses, Puget Sound, is not of the best quality.

Staff if fine.

If you have the money, go somewhere that has an excellent hospital and works more closely with the patient post op.

The after care is skimpy. I feel dissapointed. A lot of the documentation they provided (support group info, post op booklets) were not up to date.

Dr. Fox did explain all the risks associated.

I think that Dr. Fox is an excellent surgeon and I never had any fears. He has a good bedside manner.

surgical competence is better than bedside manner... but both pretty good.

Great first impresssion. Intensive orientation to the procedures addressing benefits as well as RISKS! Very busy man, good schmoozer. Excellent bedside manner. Financial staff not very helpful, and, infact one could be pretty abrasive and argumentative at times, especially when telling you what your hospital would or would not charge you (she was wrong!). Patient advocates were excellent, very available and very supportive. Dr. Fox had his surgical priviledges modified for a while, during an investigation into allegations of mal-practice. Was allowed to do surgery under supervision. At hearing he was cleared of malpractice and all surgical priveledges reinstated. High emphasis on after care. Has set up monthly support groups that include pre-op patients, recent post op patients, and "veteran" patients who have had surgery anytime in the past. I rate him highly. Very concerned that his patients have a positive outcome. Very knowledgeable about current, new developments in bariatric surgery and passes that information on to this patients and office staff.
Excellent surgical competence with some EXTREMELY obese patients that have been denied care by other surgeons because of operative risk. Willing to address the risk with the patient and patient's family. Very informed consent procedure. Great competence as well as bedside manner.

Very kind, excited about his work.

No, my impression didn't change.

Office staff is extremely patient and always willing to help.

Like least - Dr. Fox is very busy, didn't get to see him personally except at initial group session and at surgery. Then bumped into him at his office.

Follow up care and risks are explained very well.

I was operated on by Dr. Ki Oh and Dr. Ross Fox at Puget Sound Hospital. I felt that these two surgeons were very skilled and educated about this procedure and the post op management of the bypass patient. The office staff is very in tune to the needs and issues that I have experienced. I have been especially pleased with the care that I have recieved from Steve Kochel, the PA that works in Dr. Fox's office. He is a wealth of information and goes out of his way to keep up with the needs of the longterm management of the bypass patient. The patient advocates, Blanch and Debra are a wonderful asset to this practice, they provide much information and support in the preop and initial postop period.

I am seen in the office one time a month, and can come in anytime that I have a concern. They are very responsive to me when I call with a question of concern.

The care I recieved in the hospital was good the initial post-op period. I was in the ICU for the first 16 hours and had a wonderful nurse taking care of me. The care I recieved on the floor was less then optimal and I would encourage you to have a family member or friend stay with you until you are discharged to home.

To pay for this surgery was the biggest obstacle for me having this surgery. My insurance company had made obesity surgery a direct exclusion in the plan so there was no fighting with them over this. My way to solve this was to use low interest VISA cards and then I did a home equity loan to consolidate the debt. It was worth every penny, so don't let the money stand in the way of regaining your life and dumping all of that extra life draining fat!!