Robin P. Blackstone Bariatric Surgeon MD, FACS, FASMBS

First impression: professional, brisk but compassionate, highly competent. Office staff is overworked but very good, each person has a specific role in your process and seems genuinely interested in helping you through it. Dr. Blackstone has a special unit at a nearby hospital equipped and staffed for bariatric surgery patients, which is a big plus. Staff on the unit aren't even allowed to bring food or drinks other than water onto to the unit (to make it easier for post op patients). The pre-surgery and post-surgery program is very, very thorough, including two 6-hour seminars with a variety of experts including a psychologist, nutritionist, exercise physiologist. She is very upfront about the surgical risks - you must take a quiz about this topic before being scheduled for surgery (are provided with verbal and written information by the whole staff as you are being evaluated). I would give her a 95%. Her surgical competence is unbeatable - I was a high risk patient, over 400 pounds with respiratory issues, previous scar tissue and potassium deficiency, yet she did a lap RNY and I had an easy, complication-free recovery. Her bedside manner is good but she is so very busy that beyond the initial consultation and surgery day, she's out of the picture and you are handled by the other doc, the nurse practioner, the surgical nurse, the nutritionist and office nurses. I didn't mind but someone who wants to see the doctor every visit might. My only complaints: the hospital bathrooms aren't too convenient for supersize patients, and I didn't like the fact that the ICU nurse post-surgery monitored me from her workstation instead of staying with me. I was on a respirator for a couple of hours after surgery and it was very frightening; the combination of anesthesia drugs, confusion, etc. made me frantic, and there was usually no one with me in the room. When I wrote my complaint on a notepad (tube down my throat, couldn't talk), the nurse was defensive and dismissive. The rest of the office and hospital staff were truly wonderful. I have a great deal of appreciation and liking for Dr. Blackstone and her staff.

My first impression of Dr. Blackstone actually happened in my support group in Albuquerque, New Mexico before I even met her. In listening to peers who had her as their surgeon, I was very impressed with all the information they had learned from Dr. Blackstone and all the staff at Scottsdale Bariatric Center. When I met Dr. Blackstone at a support group she did with our Albuquerque support group, I knew I wanted her to be my surgeon. She genuinely cares about people even if they are not her patient!! Her office staff has had to put up with many phone calls from me and they have all been wonderful! The only thing I don't like about Dr. Blackstone is that she is not located in Albuquerque! LOL Dr. Blackstone's emphasis on aftercare is important and extensive and is part of the reason I wanted my surgery with her. I was afraid if I didn't have good aftercare, I would not succeed. She covers the risks of surgery in her seminar very thoroughly.I won't know until after my surgery what her bedside manner is, but I have only heard postive things about her from her post-op patients.

She was awesome throughout the process. Her staff is wonderful too. I would highly recommend her to anyone.

My first impression of Dr. Blackstone and her staff was very positive. I contacted the office and they immediately put the information that I requested in the mail. They have always promptly answered my emails with accurate and timely information.

I have met with several of the staff members and have nothing but positive comments to make about each of them.

Dr. Blackstone: Positive attitude and genuinely cares about each and every one of her patients. Knows her stuff like you would not believe! Excellent communicator!

Melissa: Surgical nurse. She takes the time to listen to you and fully explains the procedure and thoroughly answers any questions you may have. Very knowledgeable about all aspects of the surgery

Cassie: Nutritionist …. What can I say ….. she is the best! Her knowledge of what we need and the best way to handle the different stages is awesome. She has some terrific ideas on ways that we can get our nutrition and not get bored with our food selection.

Becky: Scheduler. She is smart and extremely efficient.

The rest of the staff (sorry I can’t name them all) has been extremely friendly and efficient.

I think that the WLS program that they have in place is second to none!

I have seen 3 different Bariatric surgeons triing to find one that my insurance would approve of. Finally I found Robin Blackstone. She was CIGNA approved and her office was monumental in helping me. It took appeals, and on my final (3rd one) I was finally approved.
Do Insurance companies not understand that weight loss surgery, though it is costly at the first, actually saves them money when the co-morbidities start disappearing.
I will have appointments in September just prior to having the surgery which will be in October. Thank the good Lord above for answering my prayers and seeing that I want quality in my remaining years.

I have only had preliminary meeting with the NP and Nutritionist at my surgeons office. They have a VERY comprehensive aftercare program and I think this contributes to their overall success rate, which is high.

Obesity Help dot Com’s site and Dr Blackstone’s classes prepared us for the surgery and everything else we encountered after surgery. I really had no surprises. Her office staff is okay except for follow-up tasks. Dr Blackstone is skilled and very good at this surgery. She is very busy and when you see her she is great. She has excellent bedside manner and really cares about her pts. Being from out of town and from another state I only have a few bad things to write about my experience with Dr Blackstone. My final day in Phoenix before leaving home I had my final visit with Dr Blackstone to have my drain pulled and stitches removed. I waited in the waiting room for over an hour and one half. Dr Blackstone never showed up. Melissa took everything out and was great but I’ve never heard of a surgeon not doing the post op evaluation and care, I mean never have I heard this and I’ve been in medicine for almost 20 years. I think Dr Blackstone is great but a word to the wise and possibly a warning to all, that she is getting so busy she forgetting the basics i.e. it was her responsibility to be there for the post op evaluation and care, not Melissa's. The second thing that bugged me is they tout their after care. I was promised an internet access password and user name to get together with others surgery pts, dieticians and the like. They promised it would be e-mailed to me before I could get home. I never saw it! I guess if you’re out of town, your out of mind. That’s all I have to say about that.


4-15-04

I got a call from Dr Blackstone’s office today and from what I understand there was Hell-To-Pay! Dr Blackstone herself read my journal the day before Dr Blackstone and her staff flew out to Albuquerque for the New Mexico Seminar. She was dismayed when reading my statement that she didn’t do my post-op. No one knows why she didn’t do mine. Maybe it was some type of emergency but reportedly from now on this will never happen again and all problems related to this have been fixed. Again, reportedly Dr Blackstone is making sure that she will be doing all the post-op evaluations. I’m hoping this hasn’t angered her or her staff towards me; but if I fixed it for the rest of you with this posting, then it was worth it. I also want to be very clear that I wouldn’t hesitate to refer anyone to her including if needed my own family.

From the first moment I met Dr. Blackstone I felt she was a warm, compassionate, caring Doctor! <I am a RN so believe me I KNOW the difference> She took the time to answer questions and explain the surgery, the pre and post op expectations, the good and the bad. She genuinely cares for her patients! She has an excellent pre-op program and follow up is the best..her staff is wonderful, although as one would expect very busy, but always friendly and caring. From the receptionists to the NP's I have nothing but great things to say for them!!! I see them once a month, we have support groups that meet twice a month <although these are difficult for me to attend as I work night shift> and she has resources available for us from diet to exercise! I took a "pre" surgery test and she personally went over it with me and answered questions, about risks, "what will happen", etc. Overall???? Robin Blackstone is the BEST!!!!!! I would and have, recommended her to everyone!
Can honestly say the only negative comment was having to wait for an opening to have my surgery date... which was approximately 3 months and a week after getting my self-pay funding lined up.

I have chosen Dr. Robin Blackstone to be my surgeon. I liked her from the minute I met her. She is warm, truly caring of her patients, and she wants to treat the whole person. She is honest, thorough, and her patients love her. Dr. Blackstone wants all of her patients to be educated about WLS, and all of the options, and she performs the Roux en Y gastric bypass. She will explain to you why she does not do the other surgeries. Also, she uses state-of-the-art laparoscopic technology. She does have a very good aftercare program, in fact the program is briefly outlined in the Scottsdale Shea website. She and her staff will make sure you follow up in the after care program, it is mandatory. Everyone in the office is friendly. I had my appt. on a very busy day, and every person in the office said Hello to me, and smiled, even though they were very busy. I really couldn't imagine going to any other surgeon. I strongly recommend her.

The only negative thing I have to say is that her office is over 100 miles from my home, but well worth the traveling.

Dr. Blackstone was very impressive to me right from the beginning. I went to her seminar in November of 2002 and was immediately drawn by her enthusiam and knowledge about the surgery. She calls this her "happy surgery" because all of her patients finally found the weight loss they have been searching for. I left with the feeling that she really understands the desperation that her patients feel. She refuses to take smokers on as patients, she is so serious about it that she does drug tests to see if there is nicotine in your system. At first that freaked me out a little, but after I finally quit smoking (after 20 years of 2 packs a day).. I feel it's the best thing she can do!! I haven't had my surgery yet because I am waiting for her, she is very busy and just recently got a partner... however, I want to wait for her... December 17!!!