Our Lady Of the Lake Regional Medical Center Hospital

Dr. Phillip Schauer, UPMC Pittsburgh, PA
I really liked Dr. Schauer from the beginning. He is very easy going, makes you feel comfortable asking questions, and is very knowledgeable. His group has performed over 200 WLS.

His office staff--Beth, a nurse who has had the surgery herself and is looking great and Bill are extremely helpful and knowledgable!

Dr. Schauer emphasizes life-long health...in regular follow up care, vitamins, water, protein, etc. He is here for us for life...to make sure that we don't have any problems 1, 5 or 10 years down the lane.

Dr. Schauer is extremely competent, and has a soothing bed side manner. I never feel strange or akward around him or when asking my 10,000th questions. Even more important, he is a very well accomplished surgery...I trusted him with my life!

I know that I have been very lucky as my surgical experience and all pre and post op care has been wonderful. Good luck to you!

I couldn't have selected a better surgeon. He was very comforting and knowledgable about the procedure. He made me feel very comfortable. His staff nurses, Beth and Laura, are godsends. Not only are they excellent nurses, but they actually went through the same procedure. The aftercare program is excellent. Yes, Dr. Schauer is a very busy person, and you do have to wait what seems like forever when you have an appointment, but trust me, it's worth the wait.

DR schauer,philip is the most caring and nice person i know made me feel like a new person by his greeting when i met him god person caring i thank him alot for that feeling he gave me hope ,not at all has my impression changed about him.His office staff was great to he had women there that had the surgery that works for him they look like models very nice and thin.as i am specking to you all i am having the surgery on the 10 th of nov so some of the questions i can not answer yet but will up date as things go alongall i ccan say is i want to dance with joy as the weight comes off.

I can't say enough good things about Dr. Schauer and his staff. I had a great experience in the hospital and am having an easy recovery so far.

Dr Schauer is a wonderful Dr,although a busy one!! But he takes the time to answer all your questions. His nurse Beth is the greatest!! She has so much information to give being she had the procedure done herself.The only downside is the waiting to see the Dr. My appt was for 1:30 and I didn't see him until 4:45. But other than that he's Great!!

Dr. Phillip Schauer, Pittsburgh, PA
very nice and informative person.
His office staff can be very helpful.
What I liked least about his practice is the waiting time to see him when you have an appt. He is always running late! :)
I have referred a lot of people to Dr. Schauer and he does have s tructed after-care program that runs on a monthly basis which I have not attended because I live two hours away. I would rate Dr. Schauer highly for both his bedisde manner and his competence.

I understand that Dr. Schauer is the best in the Pittsburgh region to do this surgery. That is why I chose him. I anticipate he will do is his job very well, but after surgery, the success of recovery will be up to me. His staff has done a very good job of preparing me on what to expect and what I must do.

My first impression of Dr. Schauer was one of
genuine concern for the patient and his/her
well-being. He was very busy, so I didn't
spend much time with him, but his assistant
was very helpful and knowledgeable since she
had the surgery herself. I still feel that
Dr. Schauer is a very good surgeon, however,
his office is very busy and it's quite difficult
sometimes to actually see him. Overall, I am
very satisfied and would recommend him to
anyone.

Dr. Phillip Schauer, UPMC PIttsburgh PA

My First Impression: Immediately Felt at ease with him, the most Gentle and nicest man. DIdn't rush me at all
My Impression did not change over time.

The office staff was all friendly, helpful , and informative and SUPPORTIVE!
What did I like least? :Nothing to complain about!

What should future patients know about him?: He's the best!!! Love him to death! Never met a dr like this.
Does his office emphasize after care? :A lot, have every 2 month check-ups.

Does he haev a structured aftercare program? :every 2 months u go back, has a support group for patients too
Did he address the risks? :Yes, told me the risks, and benefits!

How would you rate him? :9 on a scale of 10!

Which is better, surgical competence or bedside manner? : Both were excellent. Didn't see him as often after the surgery (while in hospital) which disappointed me, but his associates were just as caring and nice as he was.

Dr. Schauer is a personable, albiet busy doctor. He is adamant about meeting his patients personally and I can't say I dislike anything about him. His office staff is very professional and easy to contact and deal with. They treat patients with immense(no pun intended) respect and compassion.

Future patients should understand that UPMC is a very busy place and they must see that they follow instructions and think for themselves to survive. Sometimes appointments run late, but that happens in this type of practice.

Dr. Schauer's aftercare program is structured and contains many options such as support groups and seminars which would have value to someone who lives closer than the five hundred miles from Northern lower Michigan to Pittsburgh. Dr. S. kept me in Pittsburgh til the tenth post op day and then released me to return to Michigan. He was adamant that I return in three weeks for what he deemed the most critical check up. I did return and was weighed, vitalled (BP,temp, etc) and questioned. I felt and still feel that these things could have been done long distance. They then insisted that I return in three weeks, stating the importance when I demurred. I agreed, but I'm here to tell you that I have no intention of returning before next year. I will weigh in at my personal care provider's office and fax the results. I will also answer questions via phone or e-mail.

Dr. Schauer was crystal clear about the risks of surgery, especially given my poor lung function. I already understood these risks and was not dismayed. Overall, I found Dr. Schauer and the assisting surgeons on his staff to be competent in the extreme. Frankly, I don't give a rat's patoot about bedside manner as long as the surgeon is competent, but Dr. Schauer is charming as well as gifted as a surgeon.