Magee Womens Hospital of UPMC Hospital

I LIKED DR. COURCOULAS RIGHT FROM THE START. SHE WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND STRAIGHT FORWARD BUT COMPASSIONATE AT THE SAME TIME. SHE TOOK TIME TO ANSWER ALL MY QUESTIONS AND MY DAUGHTERS QUESTIONS ALSO. THE OFFICE STAFF AT THE DESK WERE KIND OF IMPERSONAL BUT ONCE I GOT BACK TO THE EXAM ROOM THE NURSES THERE WERE JUST GREAT! FRIENDLY, AND I DIDNT FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT MY WEIGHT ONCE, NOT EVEN WHEN I WAS WEIGHED ON THAT BIG HUGE SCALE. THE ONLY THING I DIDNT LIKE WAS THE LONG WAIT TO GET INTO MY APPOINTMENT AND FOR MY SURGERY DATE, BUT I GUESSED THAT WAS A GOOD THING. I DONT KNOW MUCH ABOUT AFTERCARE PROGRAMS YET. EXCEPT THAT I AM LOOKING INTO MY OWN CLOSE TO HOME, BECAUSE I AM 2 1/2 HOURS AWAY FROM PITTSBURGH AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CARE CLOSER TO HOME, BUT FOR A WHILE I WILL BE COMMUTING. I WILL POST MORE AFTER I HAVE SURGERY ABOUT THE SURGEON AND THE HOSPITAL.

when i first saw dr courcoulis, i couldn't beleive she was going to be my surgeon! she is so pretty-and is very knowledgeable and well informed about this surgery. it has been since march (01) that i spoke with her-and my impression of her still has not changed. the office staff seems helpful too. she visited with us that day for about 45 minutes, and explained everything in detail to me and my family. she also addressed the risk of surgery, just like any other surgery you would get. i would give dr courcoulis a high rating so far!

I thought she was nice and covered the risks.



Very helpful and friendly



I don't know enough at this time to answer

A lot

Yes

She had a paper listing them & I signed it.

Too early to tell

I was very pleased with my Surgeon , from start to finish. She treated me with concern and compassion as well as having great surgical skills. She always took the time to answer all my questions personally by answering all my phone call herself. She is an assistant professor of Surgery as well as a trauma surgeon. I was in very good hands. She has a very busy office and sometimes the wait in the waiting room takes a long time. So I had to be patient. My surgery was done at Shadyside Hospital and the staff there was excellent , I will be going there again (by my own request) for a hernia repair and (by my choice) Dr. Courcoulas will be doing the repair. I feel she has truly helped me get my life back. I cannot remember the last time I felt this good about myself.

I LIKED HER, SHE MADE ME VERY COMFORTABLE BUT SHE WAS BUSY AND IS HAVING SURGERY HERSELF SO THE SURGERY WON'T BE SCHEDULED UNTIL FEBRUARY. OFFICE AND STAFF WERE NICE. MUCH EMPHASIS ON AFTERCARE AND BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. HAS A STRUCTURED PRE-OP AND POST-OP PROGRAM. SHE THOUGHT THAT THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGHTED THE RISKS CONSIDERABLY.
I'M REALLY GLAD I WENT TO HER. SHE WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE AND KIND, AND FROM WHAT I GATHER, HER SURGICAL COMPETENCE IS TOP NOTCH.

THE ONLY NEGATIVE THING WAS THAT SHE IS VERY BUSY AND SURGERY COULD NOT BE SCHEDULED UNTIL FEBRUARY AND AFTER SHE REVIEWS MY HISTORY, THERE ARE NUMEROUS TESTS TO BE DONE FIRST.

MY SURGERY WAS SCHEEDULED FOR 4/18/01 BUT THE PRE-OP TESTS WUERE LESS THAT FAVORABLE. THE SURGERY WAS CANCELLED UNTIL WE COULD DETERMINE WHY MY PLATELETT AND WHITE CELL COUNT WERE SO HIGH. DR. COURCOULAS WAS ADAMANT THAT SHE WOULD NOT OPERATE ON ANYONE THAT SHOWS SIGNS OF INFECTION. AFTER ALL WAS RESOLVED, AND SHE SPOKE WITH ALL OF MY "OTHER" DOCS' SHE PUT ME BACK ON THE SURGERY SCHEDULE AS SOON AS POSSIBLIE. I AM SCHEDULED FOR SURGERY ON 7/19/01.

I have only seen Dr.Courcoulas one time and that was for my initial visit. I found her to be very friendly and compassionate or should I say sympathetic toward my weight problem. She was very thorough in explaining everything I needed to know from beginning to end. The best thing was I left her not feeling guilty. The office staff has been great from day one.The nuse was wonderful. Everything was explained in terms I could understand. I am a nurse but somehow it's alittle different when it's your body. My surgery was originally scheduled for May but due to having to have a knee replacement in March it was postponed.And due to my sons wedding July 1st trying to get a date was hard so that's why I say the office staff was great.

Dr. Courcoulas was sympathic and listened to me talk about my stuggle with my weight.

The office staff was and is friendly and very helpful.

The only complaint I have is that I felt a litte rushed. We meet for 30 minutes and I was given a ton of information in that one visit I had with her.

Other patients should know that anytime you have a question or concern your case manager is their to call.

Once you leave her office your given a folder of information with instruction about seeing a nutritionist and test you must have which Dr. Courcoulas had gone over with you in her 30 minute visit.

Aftercare is stressed and you are encouraged to attend the support group even before surgery.

Dr. Courcoulas is very careful to explain even the most remote complication that may cause a problem during surgery and the problems that can happen after surgery.

I would rate Dr. Courcoulas and her staff on a scale of 1-10 a 9.

I feel surgical competence is a most and a pleasant bedside manner is very welcome.

5-11-01

I want to update people on Dr. Courcoulas I had my open rny 11 weeks and 2 days ago. The Aftercare at her office is not good at all. She is very good at selling the surgery (which we all want anyway) but if you need any help after that you are on you own. Thank goodness for this website and the beautiful people who are members. Once I came home from the hospital I called the office 3 or 4 times and got Vickie the nurse who was not very helpful. I seen Dr. Courcoulas for a two week visit to have my staples removed and than again on April 12, 2001 for my return to work visit and I will see her again in June. She her self is very nice but needs to put in place a system to help her patients after they come home and are depressed and lonely. She offers no type of pyschological testing before or after surgery. I think everyone needs to be called at home to make sure you are okay at least every other day for the first two weeks. Then once a week for a month or so. This surgery alters you for life and you need to have some kind of counseling to deal with all the changes you have to make. I know there is a support group that meets once a month-that is not enough. I wish Dr. Courcoulas would have had this surgery herself because then she could see that you need to have professional people help you deal with the loss you after wls surgery. Once you have this surgery it is like you have a death-everything you had to comfort you food wise is gone and you need guidance to help get you safely to the other side way of thinking. I still would recommend her for the surgery but she needs to provide more support for her patients. I also think pyschological evalutions should be mandatory. It would be a good ideal if former patients were used to check on new post ops. I am available in the evening to talk with people and answer questions or just chat. Anyone going to use her as your surgeon ask what kind of support she offers after you are home and if she is still using Vickie the nurse tell you heard all about it and what other support systems does she have in place.

I had my intial consult with DR. Courcoulas on may 7,2001. my first impression of her was that she very upfront on the risks and benefits in the surgery. she didnt makeme feel like i was rushed at any time and answered all my questions thoroughly. i feel as though she is very confident in her work and i like that . i know she knows what she is doing. Her office staff was very helpful also.The only think i can say i didnt like is the long wait its going to be for a surgery date. but what the hell i have waited this long. future patients need to know she is definately a qualified surgeon but because she has great reviews it makes her more popular. so the wait is going to be longer. so far on a scale of 1 to 1o i would rate her a 9.

I meet with Dr. Courcorlas and was impressed with her professional attitude. My appointment was at 9:00 a.m. The staff was kind and I only had to wait about 5 min. to be taken back to the examining room. The Doctor spoke frankly about the surgery and discribed the risks. I felt assured that her surgery experience was outstanding. The only disappiontment was the length of time I will have to wait for the procedure.

first impression: very nice, made me feel comfortable,First when I went there I seen her nurse Cheryl and I was very very nervous until Cheryl started to talk to me in a very nice manner then i could feel my self unwinding. (I was thinking boy this is not that bad they are realy nice here) Then after Cheryl examined me Dr. Courcoulas came in the room and come over and shook my moms and mine hand. Then started to go over the gastric bypass proceedure with me. SHe openly answered any question I had. I really like her and trust her with my surgery because she seems to care. I would rate her on a scale from 1-10 with a perfect 10.