Keith B. Boone Bariatric Surgeon M.D., FASMBS

Dr.Boone was very quiet but friendly. He went over the information of WLS and answered any questions I had. He was thorough in requesting necessary tests to insure that I have a safe surgery and also consulted with other specialists whose care I am under. I feel confident that I am in good hands.

Dr. Boone learns a lot from listening. He answered all of my nervous sometimes unclear questions with the patience of a man who is only seeing me that day.

His nurse a WLS person herself was very kind.

A few snags with my paperwork. It got sent to the wrong department and if I hadn't called frequently to check on it I believe my surgery would have been delayed. But stuff happens. Just stay on it. I hope Olga never figures out who I am...she'd probably like to hit me with a stick! LOL

Dr. Boone seems very focused on aftercare. I appreciate his philosophy that he doesn't tell you what to do and what not to do....he encourages caution and promote you to understand and apply reason to yourself.

He's not bad on the eyes either!

Dr. Boone was great! He made me feel very comfortable and was very informative. The only thing that changed was that he goes very fast and I felt like I was constantly trying to keep up with everything that he was saying. The best thing, though was that he has a great staff! Especially his assistant Robin. I found that she allmost all of the answers that I needed and was allways accessable. The day of surgery and at the hospital the after care was great. They kept me there for 3 days because I was running a fever. Even though I wanted to go home, I knew it was for my own good that he kept me there. I felt like I was really being taken good care of. Now there are monthly visits and monthly support group meetings.He addressed all risks of surgery very honestly and openly. He recomended that I have my husband come to the pre-op appointment(I also took my mother)just so we were all clear of the risks involved and the procedure itself and the care afterward. Overall I would give him an 8 out of 10. He moves and talks so quickly that it was sometimes hard to keep up with him, but his staff and his thouroughness made up for that. I think that both surgical compitance and bedside manner are both great!

I was very impressed with Dr. Boone on the initial visit. He was very knowledgeable and addressed all of my concerns. His office is thoroughly adept in all aspects of the process from the insurance approval through post-op care.

I FELT VERY COMFORTABLE WITH DR.BOONE,AT THE VERY FIRST VISIT HE SAID HE COULD DO AS MANY 6 TO 8 SURGERYS A DAY BUT HE WOULD ONLY DO 4 BECAUSE HE WANTED TO GIVE HIS PATIENTS THE TIME THEY DESERVED.MY IMPRESSION OF HIM NEVER CHANGED,I HAVE LIKED HIM FROM THE FIRST VISIT WITH HIM.HIS OFFICE STAFF WAS ALWAYS HELPFUL,THEY MADE THINGS EASY,WHEN IT CAME TO PAPER WORK AND SCHEDULEING.I WOULD CHOOSE DR.BOONE TO DO ANY SURGERY THAT HE COULD DO THAT I NEEDE TO HAVE DONE,HE'S WORTH THE TWO HOUR DRIVE TO HIS OFFICE FROM MY HOME.HE WAS IN MY HOSPITAL ROOM BY OR BEFORE 6 A.M. EVERY MORNING THAT IWAS THERE AND HE VISITED ME BEFORE HE WENT HOME IN THE EVENING.AFTER CARE IS IMPORTANT TO HIM,THE DAY AFTER I GOT HOME I HADN'T DRANK ENOUGH GATORADE AND GOT DEHYDRATED,WHEN I CALLED HIM HE TOLD ME TO COME TO HIS OFFICE AS SOON AS I COULD,WHEN I FINALLY GOT THERE IT ONLY TOOK THEM TEN MINUTES TO GET IN TO SEE HIM.HE ADMITTED ME TO THE HOSPITAL RIGHT AWAY ON I.V FLUIDS AND HAD X-RAYS TAKEN AND BLOOD WORK DONE,JUST TOO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS O.K.THANK THE LORD IT WAS,BUT HE STILL MADE ME STAY OVER NIGHT JUST TO MAKE SURE I WAS O.K AND THAT MADE ME FEEL EVEN BETTER ABOUT HIM.HE ALSO CAME TO SEE ME THEN BEFORE HE WENT HOME,AND CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY BEFORE I WAS DISCHARGED AND CALLED ME AT HOME TWO DAYS LATER.HE TOLD ME ALL ABOUT THE RISKS OF THE SURGERY, I SAW HIM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I HAD THE SURGERY,AND EVERY TIME HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE RISKS JUST TO MAKE SURE I KNEW THAT THE SURGEY WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO DO.I WOULD RATE DR.BOONE A 10,BETWEEN MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL SURGICAL PROCEDURES DONE AND DR. BOONE WAS ONE SURGEON WE FELT VERY COMFORTABLE WITH.EVERYTHING ABOUT DR.BOONE IS GREAT,HIS BEDSIDE MANNER AND HIS SURGICAL COMPETANCE.

5 days Post-Op:

Dr. Boone came across as a very professional individual, who obviously knew the business of the bariatric stomach surgery. I knew this because, I wrote an argumentive essay on the surgery and was pleasantly surprised to find Valley Surgical Specialist' article in our student database. He was very thorough (I knew this right away when he asked me how could I have two real births but have three children, which I answered-surprised-that I adopted on of my children - I knew then that he had taken some real time to study my chart), detail-orientated and brisk with my initial appointment and also during the visits at the Fresno Surgery Center where I had the surgery.

Also, two of the nurses on staff at the surgery center had stated that Boone and their group were one of the best in the area, this was based on the extra medication (salt water that flushes the pain medication through the body from the IV) that their group orders for their patients.

There was nothing that I disliked about Dr. Boone or their office. Everything was handled very professional. The only problem is the long wait to get into a seminar and from the seminar to the initial consultation visit. Other than that, Dr. Boone is an admirable doctor and first rate, as far as I'm concerned.

Michelle Harris
Riverbank, CA

I had my first consultation with Dr. Boone on 11/11/99. He answered my many questions without talking over my head. I understood everything he explained to me. I like the fact that he has a monthly support group. I attended the October seminar and was very impresed with the way both he and his partner, Dr. Higa, handled the seminar. I learned quite a bit there and would highly recommend this to anyone considering this surgery.
His staff was helpful and friendly and everyone there seemed to have a great sense of humor while still being professional. The only negative thing I have to say is about the length of time I had to wait to get an appointment. But I feel it was worth the wait. Dr. Boone was knowledgable, friendly, professional and he likes NASCAR. What more could you ask for in a surgeon?

2/18/00
My surgery date is now set for March 13, 2000. I'm excited and nervous all at once. My insurance approved me in 10 days on the first try. I have Blue Cross Prudent Buyer. The only negative thing I have to say about the entire process so far is that it's sometimes ahrd to get Dr. Boone's staff to return my calls. I called several times to ask one question and when I finally reached Laurie and spoke to her on the phone she answered my insurance question quickly and accurately. Everything else about Valley surgical and Dr. Boone has been great!

3/30/00 I had Lap RNY on 3/16/00 and feel great! Tired, but pain free. I went back to work after 12 days full time. I worked from my home for a few days befor that. Dr. Boone was wonderful. I saw him before my surgery and twice a day after. St. Agnes Hospital is a great place if you have to be in a hospital. The car I recieved was great! And best of all, I lost 16 pounds in one week!

11/16/00 It's been 8 months today! The time has flown by. I've gone from a size 28 to a size 16 and feel wonderful. I've lost 98 pounds. I can't begin to tell you how my life has changed. All for the better. I can fit in seats now, go up and down stairs without getting out of breath and so much more. If I went back in time and had to do this surgery again, I would!

10/14/02I thought I should give a quick update on myself since it's been 2 years and 7 months since my surgery. I FEEL GREAT! I ended up losing about 130 pounds and then did a small gain of 10 pounds. I've maintained my current weight for about 1 1/2 years now. I went from a size 28 to a 14 and my health is fantastic!!! I eat protein first and try to stay away from sweets, altough I have to admit that I still love chocolate. If you have any questions, feel free to E-mail me.

Dr. Boone is a very professional and kind individual. He is very informative, and very experienced.

We still believe Dr will meet our expectations about the surgical procedure.

All office staff we have dealt with, has been very bad. Especially his schedulling department. The receptionist and scheduller are rude, and they seemed annoyed by calls received by them reguarding surgery dates.
One of his staff members, however(Lori) has always been attentive and courteous.

Dr Boone does have a structured aftercare program. (post surgery visits)along with meal and excercise planning.

He addressed the risks of surgery "Just like any other major surgical procedure, there are high risks, depending on the patients tolerances and present health condition".

We would rate Dr Boone as an EXCELLENT Surgeon. Very qualified and courteous.

I first met Dr. Boone at the mandatory seminar he gives before you can schedule a consultation with him. The seminar was very informative, complete with a power point presentation, and lots of good info. I met with him again in June for my Consult. He was very calm, and pleasant, and seemed interested in all of my questions. He answered everything, and said he would be seeing me in a few months for my pre-op for surgery. The staff appears somewhat unsensitive about the process. I've heard many of them have had the surgery themselves, but as for their attitudes, you would never know. I heard he is one of the best in California, and elsewhere, so I think he is worth the wait.

My first impression of Dr. Keith Boone is that he is very professional, a bit shy and soft spoken, and to the point. He is with Valley Surgical Specialists in Fresno...the surgery group has an excellent reputation according to what I've read online. It took 2 1/2 months to get a consultation and I don't have a surgery date yet and after speaking with Ulga (the coordinator) it will probably be 5 months or so to get a date...not very encouraging. I haven't been that impressed with Dr. Boones office staff. They haven't been clear about insurance procedures or letters needed from my psychologist, etc. I've learned more from this site than I did from them.