Michael Jay Nusbaum Bariatric Surgeon MD, FACS, FASMBS

After waiting over 3 months, I finally met w/ Dr. Nusbaum this week and he's just as young looking as everyone says. Although we had to wait quite a while to see him (apparently the office was shorthanded - perhaps due to vacations), he did not rush thru the consult. He explained everything clearly & patiently. His questions regarding my history were thorough and I could tell he was evaluating everything in terms of the surgery but not judging any answers I gave. He could tell I'd been researching wls and explained what he recommends and how his approach differs from some others. The staff was pleasant and helpful. I'm hoping my insurance approval goes as smoothly.

I had my consult 07/16/03 and I've read here that Dr. Nusbaum was young, and he is very young but I got a good impression of him. He put me right at ease. He explained the procedure to me in details and went over the pro's and con's. He has a very structured after care routine which I liked. I would recommend him to anyone who wishes to have this surgery.

Very professional yet friendly, compassionate and confident in his abilities




Excellent customer service and highly commendable follow through








Very upfront about all the risk

My contact with Dr. Nusbaum has been very positive. He really takes the time with his patients. He answered all my questions, and I had a lot of them! He was very personable and professional. Felt like I was talking to a friend..not a Doctor. June 24, 2003 is my surgery and I trust him 100%. His peers speak highly of him and that is surely reassuring.

Dr. Nusbaum is still wonderful and Wanda in his office is just an angel! She has been working so hard on my behalf - my insurance company Cigna PPO has turned this into a nightmare! Wanda has been tolerating my calls to confirm info and receipt of faxes and so on.
I am somewhat disapointed w/ the response of Shelly, the Office Manager. If you're insurance company turns you down, she told me flat out they do not appeal it. It's totally up to the patient. I was hurt that she refused to fax me some info because it was 10 minutes to 5pm & the office closes at 5. So she'll fax it in the morning. I only have limited acces to a PC so I was hoping she'd go a little above and beyond & take two mintes to fax me. But I guess the lesson learned is that as a potential WLS patient, you need to take action yourself and never rely on anyone else to help you through. of course, I'm sure there are people who are willing to go out of their way to help but ultimatley if you want this, you've got to oversee and handle everything yourself. I'll be dealing w/ the insruance company myself as much as possible & of course am keeping a notebook w/ all documentation, be it by fax or phone.
I still believe in Dr. Nusbaum's skills and that the staff generally is wonderful. I am sure it's difficult to handle such tasks on a daily basis for so many patients. I will continue to fight for my approval and use Dr. Nusbaum for the surgery.

My first impression of Dr. Nussbaum indicated that he was an extremely caring, compassionate, and competant surgeon. My weight loss surgery journey began in October 2002, and now at the end of May, 2003, I am successfully 5 months post-op, and I am eternally grateful too Dr. Nussbaum.

My experience with Dr. Nussbaum's staff hasn't been perfect, but for the most part, during my visits they are very pleasant and friendly.

I see Dr. Nussbaum every three months for a follow-up. These visits are helpful in that he makes sure all my vitamin levels are up to par. Also, my weight loss is assessed and I am reassured that I am progressing well.

Overall, I would recommend Dr. Nussbaum to everyone and anyone. He is truly caring, and his dimeanor made this whole process go rather easily. He admits himself that he is a perfectionist, which furthered my confidence in him as a surgeon. I placed my life in his hands, and not only did he serve me well, but also changed my life. Thank you Dr. N!!

When I first met Dr. Nusbaum, I couldn't believe how young he looked. He was extremely caring and gentle and explained the good and the bad. I felt completely satisfied with him. He told me he does 3 extra steps while you are in surgery. His office staff was so nice and helpful. I called Shelly so much because I was so anxious, I think I might have drove her crazy. She was never rude and always pleasant. I like everything about Dr. Nusbaum. If you want a caring, gentle doctor then Dr. Nusbaum is the doctor for you. He is very ademant about aftercare. Always looking for your water bottle when you visit him after surgery. He lets you know about support groups, nutritionists/metabolic specialists. But most of all he is always around to talk to if you need to. Dr. Nusbaum does have a structured aftercare program. That makes it a lot easier to deal with. Dr. Nusbaum is very direct, he tells you about possible complications, but assures you that he can handle it and takes the extra steps to prevent it. I cannot rate him because I would never be able to describe how I feel about him. I think choosing a surgeon you look for competence, that's what you research before you go to a doctor. Bedside manner comes into play after you had surgery, and believe me he is a compassionate man and does not rush you when you talk to him, he listens and addresses any issues you may have. When he leaves you you feel confident and content with your feelings and/or doubts.

My first impression of Dr. Nusbaum was that he was young. I asked him alot of questions and he was very thorough, very nice. This Doctor made me feel very safe with him doing my surgery. He takes the time to check and double check everything while in surgery. My surgery date is scheduled for June 12, 2003, so I will continue about him after the surgery. His staff is very nice. Wanda is a sweet heart. Very caring, very kind, takes the time to talk to you, even if you call her every other day. They did all of the work, I just had to do what the insurance requested prior to approval and Wanda took care of the rest. Great Doctor and Great Staff. Not one thing negative to say about them. They have high ratings.

I have no doubt that there are many skilled surgeons in the state and whether the doctor participates in your insurance plan is a major consideration: however, my ultimate decision to use Dr. Nussbaum resulted from meeting many (perhaps 20) of his post-op patients at their monthly meeting. Not that Dr. N. doesn't present well. He does. He is informative, clearly concerned, and is well thought of by his peers. But more importantly, his patients sing his praises. I have never met a happier, content group and to me that is important because it relates not only to the surgery but the aftercare. I suggest if you are considering the procedure you attend a meeting- 1st Thurs. of the month - St. Barnabus ACC, S. Orange Ave., Livingston, across from the Mall.
Dr. N. thoroughly explained the procedure in detail unlike another surgeon I met, who by the way , did not even examine me and seemed more like a used car salesman. I also liked his idea of leak testing immediately to allow for instant repair, if required, as opposed to waiting a day as others do, which, if there is a leak, requires a second procedure.

My first vist with Dr. Nussbaum was January 22, 2003. I liked his office staff. They were very efficient and knowledgable. They did all the post-consultation & documentation for Blue Cross/Blue Shield. My surgical date is set for April 15th.
The consultation was thorough. He took a complete history & explained what the surgical options were very clearly. He took plenty of time & did drawings to clarify his plan for the surgery. I especially like the fact that he took lots of time to discss the benefits versus the risks of the surgery.

I like the fact that Dr. Nussbaum is a young surgeon. At my age(57), my doctors are either retiring, cutting back their practice hours, or dying! This guy is gonna be around for years tocome (not that I'm expecting any complications; but it's always good to have follow-up by the original surgeon).

Dr. Nussbaum has performed surgery on 2 ladies at my workplace. They only have good things to say about him & his team. I'll give more feedback after the operation.