Alan Wittgrove Bariatric Surgeon M.D.,F.A.C.S.

Absolutely charming. I have liked Dr. Wittgrove since the first meeting.

The staff at Alvarado Hospital is incredible.

I have heard wonderful things about Dr. Wittgrove and his staff. I have spoken to his staff several times thoughout the approval process. Frankly, I found I needed to be a little persistent because I knew I was approved before they informed me.

I have not met this surgeon yet, and picked him by reputation only. I am in SF and he is in San Diego, so I won't meet him until my pre-op physical. I met his associate at a seminar they did in my area, but wasn't to impressed with him.

Unfortunately, my experience with the office and staff hasn't been great. Every time I talk to them, it's as if it's our first conversation, which made the process go VERY SLOW!

The seminar that I attended, however, was very informative, and they answered all my questions. They addressed risks and rewards, and overall it was very informative.

I do feel a bit disadvantaged since I am not having the surgery in my hometown, and I know this will affect my aftercare. However, I am committed to flying there as often as I need to. I want to make sure I make this work for me!

3/27--I met Dr. Wittgrove last week at his office, and everything they say about him is true! He was very kind, and we chatted on about nothing inparticular forever! Then he did my physical and I felt very comfortable in his hands. I know for sure I made the right choice.

One note on the office staff--the phones were ringing off the hook, and the waiting room was buzzing with people. However, once I got past the door out of the waiting room and into the actual exam/office area, there wasn't as much activity as I thought there would be. So, my advice for anyone using this office is CALL, CALL CALL. You have to be persistent, and demand to talk to someone. I left so many voicemails, and finally I decided I had to be assertive to get what I needed. YOU have to be in control of this and don't rely on them to do it. Follow up on EVERYTHING! The efficiency of the office staff is by no means a reflection on the expertise and competency of the Doctors.

These are just my personal opinions based on my own personal expereince, and this may not be what you may expereince. I just wanted to share this so that I couold offer support to anyone else frustrated with the "red tape" and to let them know it is worth it and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

My first Impression of Dr. Wittgrove was that he was a very CARING Dr. My dad and I were so IMPRESSED by him. He is very personable. He answered all of our questions. He showed us the laproscopic instruments, explained the procedure, and exactly what to expect.

His office staff was WONDERFUL. Most of them have had the Gastric Bypass. They are very warm and friendly. EVERY ONE OF THEM!!! :)

They have a WONDERFUL aftercare program, and even give you a toll-free patient hotline number if you are out of state.

The risks of surgery were always stated from the very first time I recieved a packet in the mail until the DR goes over them. They are the standard...if you have ANY surgery there are risks.

On a scale of 1-10 10being the best..I give Dr Wittgrove a 12+!!! :)

He is an ALL AROUND GREAT Surgeon!!!!

Dr. Wittgrove is WONDERFUL! He took us into his office and put our minds at ease by explaining everything to us before surgery. The office staff at his office is there whenever you need them day or night. They have a VERY structured aftercare program to make sure you succeed. The day of discharge from the hospital Dr. Wittgrove brought all his patients a big fuzzy brown bear to take home! He is #1 in my book!

Dr.Wittgrove is an angel. His office staff is great. They have a comprehensive out of town program. His staff is always there for you.

I HAVE NOT YET MET MY SURGEON,I WANTED THE SURGERY TO BE DONE LAPROSCOPICLY AND IN MY RESEARCH FOUND THAT HE AND DR CLARK INTRODUCED THE PROCEDURE AND HAVE DONE MANY,THEY BOTH SEEM TO BE VERY WELL RECIEVED BY PATIENTS AND FROM WHAT I CAN TELL,DO DEMAND EXCELLENCE FROM THEM SELVES.WHITTGROVE IS SUPPOSE TO HAVE GREAT BEDSIDE MANNER. THE OFFICE HELP ARE FRIENDLY BUT SEEM A BIT OVERLOADED I'M SURE AFTER THEY DID CARNIES OPERATION IT INCREASE THEIR FLOW.I CHOSE THEM FOR THEIR EXPERINCE! I COULD USE ANY HELP FROM ANYONE ON MY INSURANCE AS THEY HAVE DENIED THE DR'S REQUEST ON A BENEFIT EXCLUSION BUT I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT A POLICY OFFERED TO OUR MEMBERS APPEARS TO WOULD HAVE PAYED IF DEEMED MEDICALLY NECESSARY.BOTH POLICYS ARE UNITED HEALTHCARE.ONE IS UNITED HEALTHCARE OF THE MIDWEST.I'M SCHEDULED 3-12-01 NEEDING HELP ON THE INS. AFTER THE PROCDURE I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH ADDITIONAL INFO JAY S. [email protected] ST> JOSEPH MO 8168030056

I was scheduled with Dr. Ellner however she had a family emergancy and Dr. Whitgrove filled in. Nothing like the best being your pinch hitter!

I was crazy about her after our meeting and would recommend her to anyone. She has a kind and compasionate manner that immediately puts you at ease.

Dr. Whittgrove is a wonderfully gifted surgion. True to his word he contacted my family the minute I was out of surgery.

The office staff was fabulous although they are incredibly busy being the best and should plan to spend a lot of time waiting. That is actually not a bad thing because you sit and talk with both pre and post op patients and get a wealth of information.

They have a wonderful aftercare program that works for both local and out of state patients.

While in the hospital they have a separate floor for bypass patients with a staff trained for the needs of their patients. The nurses are fantastic and the care beyond wonderful.

Their general information seminar is fantastic and in a little over 2 hours you will be ready to take the step. The seminar is given by their program director who is 9 years post op and by one of the three surgeons. Questions are encouraged and happily answered. I welcome anyone considering them to e-mail me.

I was very impressed with Dr. Wittgrove from the beginning. As my recovery progressed, I grew to like him even more. He is a great champion of the morbidly obese. I feel extremely blessed to have met him.

Based on the research I had done, I believe CSWC at Alvarado was the place to go for this surgery. I was well aware of the risks involved and was asked questions about the risks. My care in the hospital and follow-up confirms the fact that I made the right decision. They stress follow-ups and life changes after surgery. Because I live in Texas, I will schedule a 30-minute phone meeting each month for a year with one of the nurses.

The office staff is very considerate, but very overworked. More office organization would help their workload.

I have followed the program to the letter and have had no problems.

Dr. Wittgrove won me over immediately. He seems genuinely interested in knowing everything about his patients and takes his time during the office visit. I never felt rushed and he fully explained the procedure. As a result of meeting with Dr. Wittgrove, I feel confident that I will have a successful RouxNY surgery and recovery.

The office staff is very together and makes every effort to keep the patient informed.

Aftercare support groups are available in San Diego twice monthly. One is an emotional support group and the other is health related. I intend to attend both of these groups post operatively to better enable a successful transformation in my eating habits.

We had to take a test which listed the risks of surgery prior to seeing Dr. Wittgrove. He then went over all the risks.