Jorge Rabaza Bariatric Surgeon M.D., F.A.C.S.

My first impression of Dr Rabaza was that he is very knowledgable but speaks in layman's terms. Although he seems a bit shy, he is very direct in answering whatever questions I had. I would definitely recommend Dr Rabaza and I greatly appreciate his talent and compassion.

Dr Rabaza's office staff, however is a different situation. On the phone, they appear quite stressed or busy and always seem in a hurry. Sometimes they come across as rude and inconsiderate. They are not quite as bad in person. I'm sure they deal with a lot of patients, but they need to learn how to handle the pressure better. Dr Rabaza's staff is the only negative issue I have with his practice.

Aftercare was greatly emphasized, as well as participation in a support group.

Overall, on a scale from 1-10, with 10 being the best, I rate Dr Rabaza, his partners and entire practice, a 9.

-My first meeting w/ Dr.Rabaza was a group meeting, very informative and instructional.
He addressed all the risks candidly and without reservations.

-My second meeting w/ him was one-on-one and he was willing to answer all my questions and seemed very knowledgeable. Although a tad serious and shy (but remember this isn't a personality contest!) To me what concerns me is his surgical competence not the bedside manner to a degree. I was mostly impressed by his training and by where he received his education. His office staff seemed busy, but willing to answer all my questions. The group this doctor belongs to hold a monthly support meeting at the local hospital which is important to me.

The first time a met Dr. Rabaza he was very straight forward and serious. After i had my surgery i realized how caring he was. I knew then i had made the right choice. I look forward to seeing him. I would not change him for the world!

Dr. Rabazza is a very person friendly surgeon. I met him (unexpectedly) when I was hospitalized with an infection in my foot which eventually led to a bk amputation. He is very informative and will spend the extra time to fully explain any procedure he is going to perform as well as answer questions you have. He is very interested in your total health and is there to help you any way he can. His office is very busy snd there have been times that the wait to see him in the office is over two hours. Additionally, to me it feels like when you are a patient of Dr. Rabazza you become part of his extended family.

When Dr. Rabaza found out that I was having trouble getting approval, he offered to help any way he could. He wrote a letter for me and also participated in a grievance hearing which led to my approval.

Dr. Rabaza made himself available when I needed him the most and I have no idea how I can thank him for this support.

He is very patient and understanding. His office is very busy and his staff are somewhat rude, but they are known for their expertise. The surgeons in this office have even operated on other doctors.

I saw Dr Rabaza in August. Was impressed with him. His level of knowledge and his manner. Made my appointment for the initial consultation after the first group meeting. But somehow missed this appointment and had to reschedule, Well this had to be 7 months later. So being the impatient person that I am I went to see anoher surgeon. Did all of the preop requirements but had some problems with the doctor. Did not feel comfortable with her way of doing things so since I hadn't cancelled my appointment with Dr. Rabaza, I waited for him on 3/18/03, Then, I got a call on 3/17 stating that my appointment was canceled and had to reschedule. Now the new appointment was 4/1/03. Well it finally came around. I saw Dr. Rabaza and he thought that I would do well for a Lap. RNY. Oh the joy. I could have kissed him. Now I am waiting for insurance approval.

Dr. Rabaza was very knowledgeable. He knows his business. He explained everything and even drew a diagram on the board. I first contacted his office in July 2002. I received an appointment on Nov 14, 2002. This was a group meeting. My next appt. was scheduled for March 25, 2003. The office called me on April 2, 2003 and said the insurance company wanted a copy of my thyroid test. I faxed it to Dr. Rabaza's office on April 4, 2003. Within 1hr of receiving the fax Dr. Rabaza's office notified me that I had been approved by the insurance company. Now I'm looking forward to setting a surgery date! Many people at the group meeting had nothing but nice things to say about Dr. Rabaza. Many of thier friends and family members had surgery with him also. I picked Dr. Rabaza because of his qualifications. I researched him and I am very impressed.

My first impression of Dr. Rabaza was that he is very shy. I felt I was pulling words out of his mouth. However, I do know that he is highly respected in his field and that is more important to me than his personality.

The staff is very nice, slightly disorganized but very nice.

We did not discuss aftercare, I guess that should have been brought up, but it wasn't. I was so nervous, I regret not taking someone with me to help me with my questions.

I did ask about the risk of surgery. He told me that he only had 1 person in over 600 that had died. That made me feel a little better.

My first impression of Dr. Rabaza was of his dedication to patients. He is an extremely busy surgeon, yet still he spent over an hour and a half with me until well after 7:00 p.m. talking to me about the surgery. The second impression I got of him was that is a very honest, up front and caring person. At the end of our consult, he gave me a hug. That was the first time any physician had treated me with dignity. Over time, my first impressions only deepened, as he is well known for calling his patients at night, chatting with them, making sure they are OK. He is in the hospital from early morning until late at night. And his partners, Drs. Verdeja and Gonzalez, are just as special. His staff is competent, and the only complaint I would have about him and/or his staff is that they are overly busy. Future patients should expect to receive the best treatment they have ever had from any physician. Don't be surprised if he seems like your friend, but rest assured that his expertise in the field is incomparable. He has a strong aftercare program, but it is flexible, which was very important to me because many bariatric surgeons have strict rules every patient must follow. With Dr. Rabaza, he really tailors your plan to suit your particular situation. Overall, he is a superb surgeon, bar none, and totally great!

The first time my hubby and I went to see him, I could not speak a word, I was so nervous and in shock of finally being there, I was just mute, my husband did all the questions and he was very nice and explained the whole thing very throughly...After that, my follow up appointments went very smoothly, he returned your calls and make sure you are ok... I like him from the moment I saw him, he showed a lot of concern, he was very down to earth and honest. He is an extremely busy surgeon and my opinion, the best I have met...
His office is always busy but they treat you with respect and will return your calls.
I have no complaints !!! They are the best...