Presbyterian Bariatric Center (COE) Hospital

Dr. Melkonian and his staff were great to work with. He was able to answer all my questions for the very start. He kepted me informed and made sure I was on track at each visit. He explained the risk of the procedure, the aftercare, and that the surgery was not a fix to everything. I would recommend Dr. Melkonian to those looking for a gastric bypass surgeon.

The first time I saw Dr Voellinger was at the seminar.The next day was my consoltation with him..His office staff is great and so polite even after my 64 questions...LOL.. And he has performed surgery on 3 of his own staff and they all look great..But Dr Voellinger as a person was wonderful to talk to he has a strong voice and knows what he is talking about he was very frank told me all the postives from having this surgery and most important he told me all of the risks the could happen because of this sugery. He put me at ease with his conversations. He is not a surgen that has branched out into this field this is what he specializes in. Helping the obese people to live a longer & healther life.He does have a structed after care whch is great shows that he cares & that he doesn't just open you up and say your done have a nice life. He wants to have a clear picture on your progress.I would rate Dr Voellinger with a super A+ and as for the his bedside manner that is to be seen after my surgery which were doing oct 23rd 2006..rnrn

I met Dr. Voellinger at a seminar presented by him and his staff. My first impression was that he was a surgeon who was proud of his work and wanted to educate those of us in the room about WLS.rnrnWhen I followed up with an appointment with him I noted how friendly and thorogh he was. I have had other surgeons who wouldn't give you more than seconds of their time. Dr. V stayed and answered all of my questions and was very patient with me when I wasn'rt sure of how to phrase a question.rnrnHis staff met with me individually and explained their in the process and gave insights of what to expect. They all reinforced the importance of ther after care and I contracted with him to see him at least once a year after I was discharged fronm the surgery.rnrnI am very confident with him as a surgeon based on the # of procedures he has done and the way he is involved with his patients in the aftercare.

My first encounter with Dr. Voellinger was at at the lap-band seminar and I was extremelly impressed with his presentation and commitment as a Bariatric Surgeon. This is his mission in life, to properly prepare you for surgery, and following you for life after surgery. rnHis office staff are the best and helpful in every step of the way. I feel totally prepared for my surgery on 10/9 and know what to expect after surgery. It is also a comfort to know taht everyone in his office knows who you are, and they are only a phone call away if I run into any problems.rnWould like to emphasize the importance of the support groups. Dr. Voellinger covers everything, and you also receive a gift to start you off on your new journey.rnLinda F. Charlotte,NC

Dr. M was AWESOME!!! I was refered to him by a coworker and I was impressed with his committment to his patients. Unlike the first surgeon I saw for WLS, Dr. M was patient but very straight forward. He laid everything out on the line without missing a beat. He also said something that I had not heard the other guys say.....WLS is not a magic cure. He told me it would take a great deal of effort and committment from myself in order to be a weight loss success. Surgery is a tool not cure. I am very happy with the service I received frm him and his staff....and Mel rocks the insurance thing!! My recovery has been great and I recommend him to anyone.

Dr. V seems to be very caring, but also a laid back type of person. He also knows his stuff. But made me feel smart; it's like he already knew I did my homework. My impression still has not changed. When I went into the office for my other appointments he always spoke to me in passing. His office staff seems to be very nice. But the lady that works at the front desk should not be there she should be in the back. This requires someone that is warm and inviting in the front office. The staff mainly focuses on aftercare. Everything I have paid for so far covers preop and postop appointments. They stress that we keep our appointments with the surgeon at least for the first year. He made me aware of the risks, he didn't sugar coat anything. But he did say that I am young and as long as I follow the directions I should be fine. So far he is rated as a \"10\". I think both are great.. He is not very talkative, he is straight to the point and he is confident in what he is doing. This sits very high with me. I want to know that you know what you're doing. So far nothing negative to say.

My surgeon was David Voellinger. He was kind and informative at first, and over time I found that he remained concerned and involved. His staff is wonderful. He has a comprehensive post-op program. He really cares about quality of life and long-term outcomes. He teaches his patients that this is a lifestyle change and that it is not a quick fix. I would stand behind his surgical competence as well as his bedside manner. I can't imagine a better weight-loss surgeon.

Dr. V was verry helpful in providing information and answering questions at my initial consult. He explained what steps needed to be taken. He also was clear in the risks in my particular case (revision of a stomach stapling done 25 years ago). His staff at Southeast Bariatrics is verry helpful. Many in fact have been through the procedure. Dr. V. and staff places great emphasis on post care and post surgical check-ins. However, they don't wait until then - you start a program for exercise and nutrition prior to to help you get in better shape to recover from surgery.

Met Dr. V at his office on 7/18 for consult. Met entire staff everyone was great. Everything was as I expected with Dr. V and his staff, thorough and complete. My wife joined me and we had a lot of questions. I wasn’t sure which procedure I wanted to have before this visit, but I have decided for RNY after Dr. V answered all my questions. Now I am completing my gauntlet of pre-op tests and proceedures. Chris

Dr. Lowe was AMAZING. My process went really quickly, and he calmed every single one of my fears. Being so young, I was very scared in the hospital and he mad everything completely better. My first impression of him was just great, he was soft spoken and very calming. Also, he made me feel very confidenct in him because of how easily he answered my questions. His office staff was amazing, we spoke to several other offices first and when we got in touch with his office we had NO doubt that it was the place for us. His liquid diet prepares you for the after part of the surgery and he seems very concerned with after-care. I would recommend Dr. Lowe to ANYONE over any other Doctor or Surgeon I've seen in my whole life. He not only felt like my Doctor/Surgeon but he felt like a friend. There is honestly not ONE negative thing I could think to say about him.