James Wallace Bariatric Surgeon M.D.,Ph.D.

I work at the Medical College where Dr. Wallace and the hospital are located, so I may seem biased.
I first met Dr. Wallace at the group orientation. He was pretty straight forward and didn't mince words when discussing the bad things that could happen during and after WLS.
When I met him one on one, he was a little more friendly. He gave me his undivided attention and answered every question I or my wife asked. He also had a medical student and a resident in the exam room, so it was kind of crowded in there.
His office and support staff are knowledgeable and helpful beyond belief. They knew exactly what would be required by my insurance and therefore, I had approval in three business days.

First impression - Extremely competent, intelligent. A perfectionist.

My impression didn't really change over time except to like him MORE than I originally did.

Office staff is FANTASTIC. Cris, the nurse, has been thru WLS and answers questions openly and honestly. Keri and Colleen, the office staff, bend over backwards to ensure your success. Deb the Nurse Practitioner is very thorough and a wealth of information.

Future patients should know that they, themselves, are really committed to making a LIFESTYLE change not just "getting skinny." This is one of the most comprehensive WLS programs in existence and the surgeon and his staff expect you to do your part.

Aftercare is the most-emphasized part of the program. The surgeon comes to see you several times on the unit, the nurses are on a 7-days-on, 7-days-off rotation so there is WONDERFUL continuity of care...you'll have follow-up appointments with the nurse-practitioner, nurse, and surgeon.

The risks of surgery were addressed very openly and honestly, starting in the orientation session. Dr. Wallace answered questions about lap vs. open surgery (he always tries to do lap) and the risks of both. He talked about how patients have a big part in reducing risks by following the pre-op diet to reduce liver size and also by following doctor recommendations as far as exercise, quitting smoking, etc. Risks of urgery were also addressed in pre-op testing by the nurse-practitioner, office staff, and anaethesiologists.

I would rate Dr. Wallace, the Bariatric Clinic and staff, and Froedert Memorial Hospital a 10/10.

Dr. Wallace is 100% surgically competent. I spoke with another surgeon in the hospital who stated that if the themselves were having any type of procedure done, they would not trust anyone but Dr. Wallace. I enjoyed talking with him as well, but I know that he can come off as kind of gruff. I think that comes from his desire to do the absolute best by each patient and have the fewest risks possible. If Dr. Wallace feels that you are not doing your part, he will definitely tell you so!

Dr. Wallace made me feel very comfortable. He was very imformative and very straight forward with what is expected of each patient and what you need to make sure you understand before you have surgery. I have a good friend who did her surgery and she says she would never ever regret having him do hers. I am scared a little bit but knowing that he is very experienced in what he does I feel much better.

Dr. Wallace gave me a really great impression. He's a very smart guy who has a great love for what he does. I have read other people say that they had a difficult time speaking to him, sayin that he has long pauses, I didn't notice that at all. I noticed that he knew how to comunicate. He listened and really wants you to know what you are getting into. I feel very comfortable with him doing my surgery.
His office staff is very helpful. Keri, Colleen and Cris are all great. :)
The program that they have put together is very impressive and I feel I am having this done at one of the best places in the country.
They let you know about all of the risks of the surgery as well as the benefits. It's good to know what you are getting into.

Dr Wallace was wonderful! He has a very factual demeanor that I appreciated in both his pre op class and in his office visits. His staff is WONDERFUL!

I absolutely LOVE Dr. Wallace!!!! I was able to get to know him over the course of 2 years watching him perform many of my friends surgeries. It finally came to my turn, and he was stern in his guidelines, but had he not been, I may not have taken this surgery as seriously, nor would I have gone through it. He made me feel completely at ease coming to visit me right before they put me under, and visiting me each day in the hospital following the procedure. If you choose Dr. Wallace as your surgeon, I know you will come to know and love him the way I do! This man literally has saved my life!

At first he is not very personable - but he truely cares abouts his patients. You will see that in the hospital room.

My impression of him changed as the visits went on, and he knew how serious I was.

The Staff is absolutely wonderful and caring.

Nothing comes to mind as far as dislike about Dr. Wallace.

How much he cares about this field.

Aftercare - Very important part of the process.1 out of 5 will fail.

Yes - 5 year program

He went over the Risks with a 2 hours orientation program.

I would rate him extrememly higher than a 10.

Both surgical competence and bedside manner are great!

Dr. Wallace was professional with a dry sense of humor from the start. He was caring from the first visit. I was very confident in his ability as I read about him and researched his past surgeries. After the surgery, he visited me every day in the hospital and had all the time in the world for my silly questions. He is incredibly competent in his skills and has a great bedside manner.

I have only met with Dr. Wallace once. He was very informative, very intelligent, and to the point. I felt he knew what he was doing and talking about. His office staff have been absolutely fantastic!! I had to cancel my first scheduled surgery do to a family emergency and they were were great and helped me reschedule very soon. I can write more later after my surgery...

I thought he really knew his stuff when I first met him in 2003 and my opinion hasn't changed since my surgery in 2004. He takes the time to listen and also to make sure you "get it"- just don't let his long, thoughtful pauses freak you out. I must admit it is a bit disconcerting.

Overall, the program is first rate. You can tell that pre-op and post-op care and guidance are well thought out. Large staff willing to help. Other than the hospital stay (I HATE hospital stays), I think everything went very well.

I'm looking forward to the new and improved ME! Thanks Dr. W.