Enloe Medical Center (COE) Hospital

Dr. Simchuk and the office at North Valley Surgical Associates have been great.
My only complaint is about the "program fees", but I guess most practices have them now to cover their costs that insurance does not reimburse them for.
The first visit to his office I was having a metabolic test which meant sitting quietly for about 15 minutes. During this time I overheard the Dr. on the phone in an adjoining office; he was arguing assertively with an insurance company who was stalling on approving a patient's surgery. At one point he asked the person if their daughter or son needed this surgery, would they work this hard to prevent them from getting the procedure they needed? Although I was not meant to hear this conversation, it won me over, he really cares for his patients and will advocate for their needs. That said, Dr. Simchuk has a very gentle caring demeanor. He's happy to explain and answer questions, was thorough in explaining the process, the choices, their program-especially the importance of aftercare.
The office recently went through some staffing changes, including new office manager and nutritionist (who is also a mental health counselor) -these changes occurred in early-Spring 2011. There are a lot of steps and staff members who are assigned certain tasks in the process and figuring them all out took a little while, but I've been very impressed with the coordination and thoroughness overall.
My very first phone contact with the office was a little cold, because of the issue of the program fee, which was $3500.00 at the time, period. They have since made changes to the fees and given options for a much lower fee (the amount is now related to the length of time for their aftercare program, a minimum of 6 months, up to 5 years, I think). I have to say that I'm still not really sure what all this "fee" really covers that a person at another center wouldn't get anyway. The letter states it's for 24-hour access to the office & surgeons as needed, photodocumentation of your process, newsletter, food & exercise journal, nutritional counseling, surgeon involvement in support groups, informational seminar, the binder of information, and protein supplement & vitamin starter kit. It also states that you get access to online chat group, website access and information- these two do not exist at this time (7/30/2011) but I have been told they are "working on it". The binder, the journal, the supplement & vitamin samples, and the informational seminar have been valuable. -I'm not sure if you would get that good a quality elsewhere for these. ***What this fee meant for ME ==> The next nearest surgeon my insurance would approve was in Sacramento, about 2 hours away. I wanted a reputable, thorough, personable surgeon that was local. I wanted my surgery locally. And I wanted aftercare to be convenient so that I will actually follow through. Although I had to scramble for the $$, it has already been worth it in so many ways.
One thing I wish I'd known but didn't, and it was probably because the nutritionist/counselor was brand new- was that she, Kathy, can do both the nutritional counseling and the psych assessment required by insurance companies. They may have information in place to inform patients of that now.
They offer a lot of protein supplements and vitamins for sale at their office, but as of July 2011 their price list & description of what they offer was, well, very basic. I wanted brands, description, quantity, and price, maybe an internet address for more info - The list I got had mostly the type of item with a price & no other info. Some didn't even have prices. I think this may be a new venture for the office.
A great thing they provide is "the binder" - it has gobs of information about them, the practice, the different types of surgeries, risks, diet pre & post surgery, activity/exercise info, contact info, what to expect in the hospital, all kinds of stuff-very thorough, I use it and have added to it.
The hospital/surgical care at Enloe was great; Dr. Simchuk checked on me each day and seemed to really care about how I was doing. The hospital liaison met with me there on my second day regarding aftercare diet and recovery and then called to follow up the following Tuesday as well.
Obviously these are just my opinions based on my experiences, but I've tried to be thorough. As with any surgery, be sure to check out all your options, get referrals on providers, and TAKE YOUR TIME in making these decisions. I'm glad that I did.

A wonderful hospital. I had a private room, had lots of attention from the nursing staff, and felt like they were really into the Bariatric program. A Bariatric nurse visited with me while I was in the pre-op room before surgery. She was the same one who gave the pre-op classes I went to and I was very comforted that she came by to visit me before surgery. She also came the morning I was going home.

The staff was very friendly, caring and comforting.

Dr. Ludwig appears to be an extremely confident and professional surgeon. His office staff is very kind, professional, and compassionate. They could care less if I called several times a day--they always had a welcoming attitude. I found the Pre-Operation education to be absolutley wonderful. Everything was brought up at one time or another and I felt very prepared for the surgery, knowing what to expect and what the pathway would be for me. Dr. Ludwig and his staff presented no bias or preference for LapBand vx. RYN, even when I tried to get them to help me with the decision. The decision was ultimately mine to make, and I am so pleased about that. There is a structured Aftercare Program, which consists on Post-Op Class, Bariatric support group, and more. Physical therapy was initiated for me prior to surgery and will continue a few weeks after, as my MD decides. Risks of surgery was discussed at length. I am providing an Excellent rating for Dr. Ludwig, and his partner, Dr. Simchek, who I never did meet, but who was in surgery with me as well. I felt Dr. Ludwig's surgical competence was fantastic and appreciate the time he spent with me prior and after surgery to address important information. I'm just delighted!

I was leary about needing to use Enloe Medical Center at first because of some bad press they have gotten over the last few years. However, my experience reassured me that I was in great hands. Each staff member was professional, yet sweet, and compassionate. They were very excited for me and were good motivators. I promised to revisit them in a few months. The surgeons were fantastic and even took the time to repair a hiatel hernia that I didn't know I had! It all went very smoothly--some tears, but only to be expected.

Dr. Ludwig was amazing. He made me feel so comfortable about the surgery.

He is an excellent surgeon. Caring and kind. The staff is very compentant and takes time to address every issue that I was concerned about. They have a very good aftercare program that includes behavior modification support and a Buddies program. They are always there to help out even after surgery. They have a seminar and a pre-surgery class that goes into great detail about the risks of surgery. I think both surical competence and a good beside manner are important but if I had to pick I think I would go with surgical competence.

My husband and I were very impressed with Dr. Simchuk from the first moment we meet him at our initial consultation. He was very thorough and informative. rnrnFrom the very beginning through the surgery, Dr. Simchuk and the office staff have been great.rnrnSuccessful Solutions places great emphasis on aftercare by offering several support groups and resources, which believe me you will need after surgery. As they say, they are giving you a tool, not a cure. It is up to you to make the necessary life changes for your surgery to be successful. It is NOT a quick fix! There is continual work to be done.rnrnThe risks of surgery were gone over several times from the beginning in the consulation to the final pre-0p appointment.rnrnI would rate Dr. Simchuk and his partner, Dr. Ludwig, a 10. Both their surgical competence and there bedside manner are wonderful.

Yeah I really didn't get to know him that well. In order for me to have the surgery turns out that I would have to pay 3500.00 for 2 years of after-care. The surgery medicare will pay for. What A Bit**!!

Dr. Simchuck is a soft spoken caring Dr. I am so glad I chose him to perform my surgery. There is nothing that i can say negative about him or his staff. I would do this surgery again with Dr. simchuck in a heartbeat. I had 0 complications and at 3 weeks out I feel very good.