Mark Pleatman Bariatric Surgeon M.D., F.A.C.S.

excellent

I was impressed with Dr. Pleatmans quick response to my emails or telephone calls. He even responded on the weekends. The office staff was super friendly as well as his dietician. They made me feel that I could contact them at any time and they really want to know how you are doing after surgery as well. Future patients should feel very confident with his experience and knowledge. His office has a very well structured aftercare program and it is included in the fee. Dr. Pleatman reviewed any and all risks of the surgery with me beforehand. He really makes you feel comfortable enough with his casual manner to ask any questions. I consider him to be an excellent surgeon and would recommend him to anyone. I think his surgical competence and bedside manner went beyond reproach.

I had a really great surgery. Dr. Pleatman is nice, calm, sort of laid back, but straight forward. He is easy to talk to, will answer any and all questions, and surgically very competent. I felt very at ease being in his hands and would recommend him to others. He did a great job on me & no complications. One of the nurses in the hospital said all his patients always do really well. Plus he is a member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) which is really important. I'm so glad I got the VSG!!!!

I found Dr. Pleatman very serious and business like at first. He answered all my questions pre surgery and I felt confident in his skill and knowledge. I spent several hours in meetings with the staff learning how to eat and what to expect. Hand outs, books and product samples were provided.rn He was stuck in traffic the morning of my surgery and was 45 minutes late but he personally came in pre op while still in street cloths and apologized. Also he asked some medical questions concerning me of the nursing staff which was comforting that he cared.rnAfter surgery he came in to see me and followed up the next day. He obviously knews what to look for in complications.rnI was able to communicate on the weekend with him via Emai. Even questions that now seem silly he answered. His office is most helpful, friendly, and organized. Pre-op care was informative and prepared you well for post op and the new pouch. A dietician is part of the program and can be reached through his office.rnAfter care has been unobtrusive but thourough. (I do not like to be over doctored.) Normally the wait in his office is around 15 minutes. He will spend as much time with you as you want. I never feel hurried. I had a minor problem with an ulcer which he had cleared up in two weeks. He has a good system for keeping records and are accessable to the patient any time. Weigh ins are available m-f 9-5 on a walk in basis. rnOver all I would highly recommend Dr. Mark Pleatman and Staff for RNY.

The first time I met Dr. Pleatman he was cocky, but informitive. He gave me a lot of really good information, that I didn't previously know. I was confident with his skills as a surgeon. The second time I saw him, he had no clue that he had seen me before and thought I was there for a first time consultation. After I told him I already saw him he said there was no reason for me to be there (after I drove for 1 1/2 hours to get there and waited 45 mins to see him), and he would see me on my surgery day. After my surgery I was having a lot of pain in my left side, and I asked him what it could be, his answer was that he had no idea what it was- that's when I was in the hospital. At my one week post op I was still having the pain and asked him about it again- this time he answered \" I don't have X-ray vision, and even if I did, I still couldn't tell you what it is.\" I have never felt so angry at a doctor in all of my life. I was made to feel that I was burdening him with my questions, and that I shouldn't be bothering him. After that visit I did not go back to see Dr. Pleatman. I refuse to be treated like that by anyone especially my doctor- who is there to answer my questions. I did complain to the director at the bariatric center but I was told that is just his personality. I do want to say that the staff at the bariatric center is wonderful. They totally go out of their way for their patients...it's ashame the doctors don't (in my opinion). I guess surgical competence is better, cuz I wouldn't want a doc that is really nice, but doesn't have a clue what he's doing. But I think it is important to have compassion for your patients- especially when dealing with a sensitive issue like obesity.

Good news, the program fee for Doctor Pleatman was reduced to 1500.00 for 2 years of after care! That was dropped down from 3500.00. Dr. Pleatman is a very competent surgeon. He is very confident of himself but backs of his confidence with a lot of technical information. The information meeting about the surgeries he performs is full of very useful info to help you make a decision about which type of surgery might work best for you. His staff have been very informative and patient in answering all of my questions and concerns. I am happy with my decision to use his facillity to have my surgery.

I first met Dr. Pleatman at an informational meeting at a local hospital. His presentation was easy to understand and he had considerable data on all of his patients. (No names were used to insure privacy.) He allowed plenty of time for questions and took the time to explain his answers.
Dr. Pleatman is a soft spoken man. He has taken obesity as a serious issue and provides much information to his patients. What I liked about him is that he doesn't do the surgery and you never see him again. He is involved all the way pre/post op and provides extensive follow-up care through support groups, dietitian services and easy access to him.
His office staff is awesome. Jo handles all the paperwork necessary. She knows exactly what information is needed before submitting it to the insurance company. Joan, the dietitian, meets with you before and after the surgery giving great suggestions on what to eat. Karen has had the surgery, so she knows first hand and is willing to answer all questions. Adele runs the support groups. They try to meet once a month and plan fun activities to do as a group.
Dr. Pleatman has an informational package that you can download from his website. He encourages everyone to read and research bariatric surgery to get as much information as possible.
I saw him everyday at the hospital, even on my discharge day which was on a Saturday. He is a kind and caring man who is genuinely concerned about the obese population.

Dr. Pleatman is a good surgeon. He has a wonderful reputation. He has been doing Laparoscopic surgery for a long time. He is very competent and I have no doubts about his skills.

That being said, sometimes his personality can be difficult to understand. I believe he really cares about his patients and wants the best for them. When you first meet him, he will come off as being distant or even cold, but I do believe that once you start talking to him you will warm up to him. He is honest and by that I mean that he doesn't candy coat anything. He wants to be sure that his patients are aware of and completely committed to the lifestyle changes they must undergo for this surgery. For some people, this type of honesty may be difficult to swallow, but some of us just need to hear the brutal truth.

North Oakland Medical Centers has just opened a new Bariatric Center. The staff there are doing a great job. The director is a post-op patient herself, so she understands the struggles of the patients. I can't say enough nice things about the staff of the Center.

It's hard for me to answer these questions about him. I work at the hospital where my surgery will be taking place. If I didn't already know about his reputation..I probably would have found him distant at first, though once the initial conversation started, I found myself really liking him! He's a smart man. He's a man who's hands I'm willing to put my life.
He's huge on aftercare. He has his own private office, and is also working with my hospital (North Oakland Medical Center) to help get the new Bariatric Center off the ground.
both he and the hospital have aftercare programs..he did address the potential risks, both in surgery and after..

While bedside manner is great..I prefer one who shoots from the hip and doesn't fluff and fold what he/she has to say..that's Dr. Pleatman's style as I saw it. Yes you have to like your surgeon..but more than like him/her..you have to trust him/her..and I do.
Will he be my "best friend" no..but he is the one I want to do my surgery..

My first impression was that Dr. Pleatman’s is a very serious, competent surgeon. Dr. Pleatman was very honest with me about the risks of surgery and very thorough with the procedure. He is extremely competent both skill wise and with his ability to provide care with concern, sincerity, and support. There is also a nutritionist who will meet with you one on one to answer questions and help prepare you for post op. The whole program that Dr. Pleatman works with is so professional and helpful and the support group is excellent. I had a wonderful experience with them. Of course, this is just my personal opinion based on my personal experience.