Dana Portenier Bariatric Surgeon M.D.

My first impression of Dr Portenier was he is very confident about what he is doing and loves his work. I saw him first at a Weight Loss Seminar at Duke. And I was very impressed with the Duke staff. They have a great aftercare program where they see you through the first year and once a year after that. rnrnDr Portenier and Katherine Applegate were very thorough in explaining to me about the risk involved in having the surgery. They also wanted us to understand that if we have any depression afterwards to please contact Katherine Applegate. rnrnDr Portenier's bedside manner is great.

Dr. Portenier was great! He was friendly, nice, and answered all my questions.

I like Dr. Portenier, a very southern guy, very tall and low key. The staff at the clinic are great and very helpful and nice.

To say that I was impressed with Dr. Portenier was an understatement. He seemed very informative and knowledgeable. He explained the surgery and risks in layman's terms and I felt that anyone would have gotten a good comraderie kind of vibe, knowing that you were putting your life in this surgeon's hands. And by the way, very skillful looking hands if I do say so myself. I somehow got the impression that he was wondering why I wanted to have the surgery. I've always been one who was 'solid' and didn't 'look my weight'. (lol) But tell that to all of my prescription drugs. I also got the impression that he was impressed with my knowledge of the surgery. Some of the information that he shared with me...I sounded like a rapper, I finished his sentence with him. I just hope that he didn't think that I was a smart *zz, even though I thoroughly did my research. The staff at the center have always been very helpful and actually I didn't feel as if they were official...felt like we were some 'down girlfriends and laughed al lot. Actually I am going to miss bugging them 2-3 times a week. Anyone would be very fortunate to be a candidate at Duke Weight Loss Center. Need I say more? (smile)

My surgeon was Dana Portenier. I am so happy to have had him perform my surgery. He has an excellent bedside manner. He takes his time in explaining and making sure that you totally understand. When I first met him over a year ago I was a little skeptical about him being my surgeon. Only because he looked so relaxed, calm, and just a normal person, while the other surgeons appeared very poised and articulate. So once I got the call to schedule my surgery I was praying please don't let it be him. I thank God that he decided to not answer my prayers! Dr. Portenier is the BOMB (great). I will continue to see him for any future surgery's that he is able to provide!!!rnrnThe staff of Dr. Portenier is not to be forgotton. Beth the program corrdinator is awesome. She is very knowlegeable of her job. She is resourceful, and has th patience of Jobe! She helped me through a rough time with my insurance and did not back down until there was an approval. rnrnI would highly reccomend the Duke Weight Loss Surgery Center to any and everyone who is considering this surgery! They are there for you from day one, and for the rest of your life. They are considered a Center For Excellence and I am very honered to be a part of their program!!!

My husband had surgery in April 07 with Dr. Portenier. I thought his bedside manner was wonderful, and I have complete faith in his ability as a surgeon.

My first impression of Dr. Portenier was that he had trained well and understood the anxiety that someone is feeling going into the process. He took the time to answer all of my questions without being overly technical and never was condescending. rnrnAs part of the Duke Weight Loss Surgery Center he is supported by an outstanding staff whose commitment to the advancement of this field is obvious through their dilligence in ensuring that the needs of their patients are met before, during, and after surgery. Patients work with nurses, a dietitian, and psychiatrists that are all at the top of their class in training and ability. The same goes for the surgeons at Duke. rnrnHe remains just as committed to ensuring my needs are met after the surgery as he was before. A prime example of this dedication was when I urgently needed advice from someone at Duke on a Sunday afternoon. I called the hospital hoping to speak to the bariatric doctor on call. He actually took the call on his cell phone while out shopping with his family! I have never had a doctor that would go that far for a patient. rnrnOverall, I am extremely pleased with my experience with Dr. Portenier. He is well educated and trained like all of the doctors that work at Duke. He performed my surgery and aftercare flawlessly, and just as importantly he knows how to relate to me. He is a relatively young surgeon who in my opinion has a very bright future in his field.

Dr. Portenier was terrific. My husband and I were both instantly comfortable with him. He was very \"down to earth\" and explained everything very clearly in detail. He's very caring and dedicated to his patients. I was walking the hallway in the hospital the same evening as my surgery and he addressed me in the hall and said to \"keep up the good work\". I would highly recommend him to others.

Dr. Portenier was GREAT....he answered all of our questions , took the extra time to listen to me and Brandon on all of our concerns. . The office staff at duke is the BEST they got me approved very quickly .All the office staf really stress on your care they want to make sure that you are in the best of health...and they do offer follow ups in regard to your care for your new life. We talked about my risks of surgery....and I feel that I will be in the best of hands

I haven't met with him as of yet. My one on one is 01-31, but I have heard that he is an excellent surgeon and has wonderful bedside manner. I will update once I meet with him.