The Surgical Weight Loss Institute of Kansas City Bariatric Center

Seemed very confident and professional. Spent much of first meeting discussing ALL the possible complications. He wanted to make sure I was FULLY informed and still not deterred from wanting the surgery.

Getting to actually see him the first time was frustrating because his schedule kept changing and the initial appointment was rescheduled twice, but things progressed well after the first appointment. The office staff took care of all the insurance issues.

The program is well integrated with the hospital's dietary and PT people. Very structured pre-post surgical program.

Haven't even been to the office yet. This office takes your paperwork and makes sure you are approved before setting any appointments or doing any pre-op work. It took almost two months for Janet to write up the letter for the insurance co. Most times when I call, I get an answering machine. With the office only open on Tues, Wed, and Thurs, it's difficult to get through to Janet. She did not always call me back right away, sometimes I had to leave a message for several days. I had to ask her four times to fax a copy of my pre-determination letter to me so I could follow up with the insurance company. Once I finally received the fax, it only took me a week to get approved.

Update **June 21st**
Met with Dr. de la Torre today. He had an emergency appendectomy to attend to and a room full of patients when he came back. I think I was the last on the list and finally he came to talk with me at 5:15PM. He smiled, shook my hand, looked me straight in the eyes. I had heard so much about him, he wasn’t anything like I expected. He tape recorded the part where he goes through all of the possible complications. We joked about how I wanted to bring my own tape recorder to put on the web and he said that would steal his thunder. He mentioned all the statistics and complications I’ve heard before, again nothing I didn’t already know. It’s really nice to be so prepared! At the end he asked if he had been able to talk me out of this, I said no way! I feel like I know exactly what to expect and have heard the worst and am still ready to go through with it. He then turned the tape recorder off and asked me some questions I had already answered about previous surgeries, co-morbidities, and family history. I asked him a few questions about getting a binder and how much he would bypass. He said I’d get a binder in the hospital and it depended on my height and weight on how much to bypass. According to my height and weight, he said he would bypass 100cm to 150cm. I told him the more the better, and he said ‘well up to a point’ and I agreed. I don’t want too much bypassed because of vitamin deficiencies, etc. but that I wanted to be on the high end if possible. He wouldn’t guarantee a laparoscopic procedure, but said that he only had to convert to an open a couple of times when the intention was laparoscopic. I feel really comfortable with him and his abilities. I thought he was very honest and direct, but was still very personable. Even though it was after 5:00, he didn’t rush through and gave me time to ask all the questions I wanted.

Dr. Scott was great he told me what I could expect and what he would do if I experienced any early complications. I was so relaxed and ready for this surgery I knew it was the right choice. He has a lot of experience with laparoscopic RNY gastric bypass surgery. I also remember choosing him because he was the surgeon who took out my gallbladder three years ago. I have had problems that started 10 months out with hypoglycemia he said it was not common after surgery and didn't know what was going on. I eat hardly any sugar or simple carbohydrates. I am still trying to get control of the hypoglycemia. I found that patients post op can experience what is called the late dumping syndrome where an hour or two after eating carbohydrates or simple sugars your sugar will drop rapidly mine does but he never told me about late dumping. It still happenens when I just eat protein too.

dr. scott straight to the point. appeared very professional, nice, very busy. office staff was outstanding. i was not impressed when they would not continue a 3rd post op apt. supposily given areason that insurance changes made it difficuly, and can only do a post op if there was problems, not knowing who i was or my insurance, (on the phone conversation), so i have not seen nor heard from dr. scotts office since i phoned them for a post op 3rd which would bring me back to dec.2000.
dr. scotts office is very clear with the facts about the surgery prior to surgery, they want you to be very aware of whats intailed, and gives you a outline packet for you to read and keep and is very helpful, and is very much real, very factual ithink. i went in to surgery with everything very clear to me, and knew the diet before hand i pretty much feel dr. scott educates his patients well, but its up to you to read it, and by all means i think having a seriuos surgery as this you should be well aware of whats ahead of you its important. yes, i would recommend dr. scott to anyone. he emphasizes all the risks, and it should be taken seriously. i will rate dr. scott at a10. i know that his support groups are excellent, and your questions get answered, i have not gone, i work the nights they have them, but i have been told they are superb. dr. scotts bedside manner is the best it could be for a busy dr. i would say,oooh ehhh, ok. he did a wonderful job on the incisions , no problemo. i know if i really needed to see the doc, i would be able to, but as it stands he did a good job and i am doing so well, i guess i don't need to see him, i'll ask janet questions if i have to.

AT FIRST I THOUGHT HIM TO BE SOMEWHAT SELECTIVE AS TO WHO HE WOULD ALLOW IN HIS PROGRAM. AFTER SPEAKING TO HIM SEVERAL TIMES, HE ALLOWED ME INTO HIS PROGRAM. THEY HAVE THE BEST PROGRAM CORDINATOR THAT THERE IS. JANET IS A HARD WORKING ANGEL-- BELIEVE ME I KNOW--- I CHECKED OUT 3 OTHER PROGRAMS BEFORE I SETTLED ON THEIRS.I DIDNT LIKE THE FACT THAT HE TOLD ME HE WOULD ONLY TAKE THE LOWER-RISK PATIENTS. IF AT FIRST YOU DONT SUCEED GETTING IN TO HIS PROGRAM--- TELL HIM YOUR WILLING TO WORK TO MEET HIS REQUIREMENTS.---THE COMPLETE PROGRAM IS WORTH IT. THEY HAVE SUPPORT GROUPS AND VERY NECESSARY AFTERCARE.ANY PROGRAM IS NOT COMPLETE OR WORTH CONSIDERING UNLESS IT HAS STRONG FOLLOW-UP.THEY FULLY EXPLAIN THE POTENTIAL RISKS INVOLVED. I WOULD RATE THEM AS THE ULTIMATE BARIATRIC SURGEONS AND THEIR PROGRAM IS TOPS.

Hello, I haven't met with my surgeon yet, I do have a surgery date tho. My question is this: Have anyone out there had to pay for their surgery because insurance would not? If so, did they have to pay a set fee at the hospital in Wentzville? I don't understand how a hospital can charge a flat rate for a 2-4 day stay. This is what I was told. My surgeon is Dr. Scott, and my surgery date is 4/2/01/ I would love any comments on this, and also anyone who has been a pt. of Dr. Scott's. How was the hospital> I am told I will go to Crossroads Hospital in Wentzville. Thanks for any responses. L.L. 5/10/01 update, I have read so much. Has anyone had Dr. Scott as their surgeon? Do you have a ng tube and other tubes after a lap? How long are you usually in the hospital? Also, do you start out on clear liquids, soft diet or what? I know I will learn about this when I see the nutritionalist, but that is a month away. Any feedback from people having laps would be greatly appreciated. Also, how soon can you drive after surgery? Have a beautiful day, Linda L.

I met with Dr. de la Torre for the first time about 10 days prior to my surgery. He was very easy to talk to and answered all of my questions thoughtfully. I really feel comfortable with him as my surgeon because he and his partner, Dr. Scott, teach this procedure to other surgeons. His office staff is great! Janet, his coordinator, handled all the paperwork for my insurance approval and I didn't have to interact with the insurance company at all.

Dr. de la Torre emphasizes aftercare very much. There is a structured support group that meets at the hospital once weekly.

He addressed the risks of surgery in a straightforward manner.

I would highly recommend Dr. de la Torre for anyone considering WLS.

My surgeon was very information and took the time to answer all of questions. The office staff are extremely helpful and are always positive. When I chose to have GBS I did alot of research and decided to have Dr. Scott perform the surgery because of his experience and reputation. He is very straight forward and honest and I have recommended him to many people considering GBS. I would rate Dr. Scott overall with and 10. His surgical competence and bedside manner were both great.

I did not get to see Dr. Scott, so have no idea whether he is likable or not. I met with Dr. Della Torre, who performs the surgery with Dr. Scott.
My first impression was this office overbooks patients. My appointment was at 1:30 and I didn't see Dr. Della Torre until 3:30. Since I still had a 4 hour drive home at that point, the unnecesasry 2 hour delay was not warmly welcomed.
Dr. Della Torre began the session by asking my permission to tape record his comments to me concerning surgical risks. I asked him if he was sending the tape home with me for review. No. I asked if he was doing this for litigation purposes, and he replied yes. Apparently he is being sued by a bypass patient. He said he had just instituted the tape recordings 2 weeks ago, so he is apparently being sued by a Recent patient. eeewww.
I was extremely uncomfortable listening to him talk to himself on the tape recorder. When I asked if I might interject a question now and then he said yes, but every time I did he quickly replied "I'm going to run out of tape". Clearly this communicates to me he was more interested on this particular day in covering his legal *** than interacting with his new surgical candidate-me.
He stated he has performed 500 of these surgeries in 5 years. I found this encouraging.
He explained the 2 occasions that would turn a laparoscopic procedure to an open procedure: multiple adhesions which prevent his ability to proceed safely, or a liver so enlarged he can't get to the areas he needs to reach laporoscopically. This dispelled the inaccurate information being offered by the KC weight loss support group, who told me anyone who was over 300 pounds (I'm not) couldn't have a lap. procedure because the laparoscope was too small to reach through massive layers of fat.
He also dispelled a rumor I'd heard but not believed from others at the KC weight loss support group: it is NOT physically impossible to regain any and all weight lost due to this surgical intervention. In fact, he'd done a "re-do" for a lady who had gained every bit of her weight back that very morning. sigh.

I haven't met Dr. Scott or his partner Dr. Delatorre yet....they don't see patients until they are approved by their insurance. I think that is a smart idea due to the high volume of applicants. Janet is super sweet though busy, busy, busy!!! I called my insurance company to check status on the claim about a week after she said she had sent it and was told that they never received it. I called and left a message with Janet letting her know they hadn't received anything. Two days later Janet called and told me I was approved!!! I wanted to put my arms right through the phone and hug her!! My first visit with Dr. Delatorre will be on 4/12/01 for pre-op testing and my surgery will be on 4/30/01. I'll let you know more when I meet him :)...although I have only heard good things about him and I've read his medical credentials and they are excellent. Since he teaches this procedure to other doctors I feel his competency is would also be rated as excellent.