Andrew Hargroder Bariatric Surgeon M.D.

Surgery date set 2/1/11 VSG for me!!!!

FIRST IMPRESSION: VERY NICE, PROFESSIONAL
OFFICE STAFF: VERYYYY FRIENDLY & SUPPORTIVE
DISLIKES: NOTHING SO FAR...
AFTERCARE: ? YET
OVERALL RATING: AS OF INITIAL CONSULTAION, 8

My first impression of Dr. Hargroder was pretty simple. He came across as a no nonsense surgeon who knew his surgical procedures backward and forward and could answer any qestion I may pose.

His surgical assistant, Holly, is the person I met with in the office pre-op. She is a doll and was very easy to talk to. She was every bit as informed as Dr. Hargroder and was able to answer all of my questions.

My surgical coordinator, Cindy, was sweet and very flexible with me in my scheduling of appointments and surgery. She made sure she listened attentively to what was going on in my life to ensure I was in the proper state of mind to proceed with the procedure.

Arlette, the lady you get on the line first when you call the office and with whom you schedule appointments, is also a gem.

My initial assessment of Dr. Hargroder was correct, as I have found him to be just what I initially thought. He is a very nice man, but he his a bit of a busy body and doesn't tend to linger long unless you have questions that need answering. He is both caring and focused, something I have found to be an interesting combination. He is at the forefront of his field and his surgical competency is outstanding. My entire procedure was only 30 minutes. I have had no complications and do not anticipate I will.

His staff, as well as the hospital staff, were careful to ensure I was well briefed on the before and after surgical care from what to expect on a dietary front to when I should expect to see the skin glue fall off my incision sites.

The hospital staff at St. Elizabeth were truly the best I have ever experienced, and I have been in and out of hospitals a lot. One of my post surgical nurses, Daniel, was so attentive and patient I felt like I was his only patient. It was pretty impressive.

My only complaints (and these are purely my opinion and are not to reflect anyone else's experience or opinion) are as follows. I wish Dr. Hargroder would slow down just a little bit and not seem so hurried. While he proved his competency I would have felt a little less anxious had I felt he was not flittering from one thing to the next. The day of hospital pre-op was a good experience overall, but the Internal Medicine appointment I was given for pre-op clearance (as a self-pay) ended up being almost three hours long and ended with me seeing a Nurse Practicioner rather than an Internist. That made me somewhat uncomfortable, but she proved knowledgable enough to address my medical history and physical.

Overall I have to say I had a very comfortable experience with all persons involved in my procedure and care. I would highly recommend not only Dr. Hargroder, but also St. Elizabeth Hospital to anyone genuinely considering a bariatric procedure.

Upon first meeting Dr. Hargroder, he made me feel comfortable. My initial consult was done with a group of people and he made this a very informative meeting. I enjoyed this type of meeting. Everyone had questions and he answered each of them. Then individually, he net with us to discuss any questions we may have had.

The morning of my surgery, my husband was very nervous. If Dr. Hargroder could have said something to him just to lighten the load, I think his nerves would have been a little more settled maybe even a simple "goodmorning". This doesn't change the fact that I think he is an awesome surgeon, maybe just more of a direct one. I would definetly recommend him to anyone considering WLS.

He was very calm and patient, didn't rush through our meeting. The only negative thing I might say is he does so many surgeries, there isn't a lot of personal interaction. You don't get the feeling he's going to remember you the next time he sees you, but he's a terrific surgeon whose done over 500 VSGs.rnThere hasn't been much aftercare because I live 500 miles from his office, but they sent me home with written instructions and told me to call anytime.rnI asked a list of questions about risks, and he was forthcoming and informative.rnHe has a terrific track record with no deaths and only one leak when he first started doing VSGs. I would rate him an \"excellent\" doctor. I thought his surgical skills and bedside manner were both great. It doesn't hurt that he's really cute on top of everything else.

I have nothing but praise for Dr. Hargroder and his staff. Every step of the process is clearly explained, my questions were answered before I had a chance to even ask. Everyone involved in the procedure itself exudes competence and a feeling of well being. I would highly recommend Dr. Hargroder to anyone considering bariatric surgery.

Dr. Hargroder was great. His office staff was very helpful. I liked the fact that he has a 0 morality rate. He adressed all of my concerns and did not rush through my preop appt even though there were several other pts waiting that day. He then went over exactly what to expect the day of surgery again. I was extremely satisfied with Dr. Hargroder.

My first impression was very professional. Dr. Hargroder and his staff helped me thru the process. I would refer him and I have to several friends. Today was three months after surgery. I am down 40 pounds and off all my Insulin Resistance medicine. I feel better than I have felt in 20 years! Excellant bedside manner and his staff is GREAT! Very honest and up front during the sessions! Thanks, Tina Kaufman

My first impression of Dr. Hargroder & his PA Holly was good. I had a Lap-Band in the past that had left lots of scar tissue. I needed someone with experience & great surgical skills to clean up the mess. He was very honest in saying he was not 100% sure he could perform the VSG under the circumstances, but assured me there had never been one he could not do. Well, he performed the surgery in about one hour.My recovery has been very uneventful with minimal pain and nausea. I'm very thankful for his success.

I had been to a few of these seminars with different doctors. I just didnt feel at ease with any of them until I met Dr hargroder. He seemed to be on top of his game and I knew from researching different doctors he was the one. Everyone at the office was so on top of everything. St Elizabeths hospital in Gonzales was a great hospital. Everyone was so nice. I had minimal pain after surgery and 2.5 weeks later I am feeling great. 17 days after surgery I have lost 21 lbs. and I feel great. I would highly recomend Dr Hargroder . Joan