Northwell Health South Shore Univ Hospital Bariatrics Hospital
Dr.Gadaleta and his staff, particularly Yvonne, have been very supportive. I went to Dr. Gadaleta three times before I actually made the decision to have the surgery. He was thorough and he made me feel very comfortable. He was clear and he answered all of my questions. He seems to really care about his patients. He has put me through an extremely rigorous battery of tests, and all of my doctors speak very highly of him. He has support groups for before and after surgery, and through Yvonne I have been able to keep tabs on the entire process.
I met with Dr. Gadaleta today. He is a very professional, "to-the-point" doctor. He is very knowledgeable about bariatric surgery and makes you aware of everything. He is also open to any questions that you may have. His assistant Yvonne is wonderful, she's friendly and very helpful. I have many, many tests to undergo before I can set a date, so we'll see how long it takes. If you have any doubts whatsoever about the surgery or your specific needs for surgery Dr. Gadaleta's office will certainly clear them up for you. Attendance at support groups is stressed, so you will be cared for both before and after surgery, he also provides a list of patients that you may call to see how they have come along. He is highly recommended.
2/2/01
I met my surgeon today, Dr. Gadaleta, and for those of you who may have had anything negative to say about him...I don't know how...he was attentive, nice, comforting, informative and not intimidating in anyway! And as far as his staff goes, Yvonne is absolutely thorough and seems to be a n on the ball straight out wonderful person!!! So here I go to take all the necessary steps to make this happen. I will keep you updated as I progress.
I had my first appointment with Dr. Gadaleta on October 2000. I found him to be very professional but caring at the same time.. He does not look at you differently because of your size. He also is to the point about the surgery and the lifestyle changes. I would highly recommend him to anyone who is seriously considering having this surgery. I am totally confident in his ability as a surgeon...
He was very business-like and matter-of fact. I really honestly didn't like him. I was disapointed that he didn't bother to show up in the hospital after surgery until my final day. His office staff is ok...sometimes they made you feel like you were bothering them with questions though.The thing I liked least about him was that he really had no bedside manner. This disapointedme because i needed him to be there for me and I felt he wasn't. If it doesn't bother you that your doctor doesn't have contact with you in the hospital after surgery and if it doesn't bother you that you will be attanded to by complete strangers then you won't be bothered by Dr. Gadaleta. He really pushes aftercare...although because of his brash mannerisms...I chose to see another surgeon at Mt. Sinai for follow-up with much more satisfactory results.He addresed the risks at both the initial consulatation and the final consultation before surery. he was an excellant surgeon...I had no problems except that my incision pened up shorty after and had to be tended...so I would say excellant surgeon...but as a caregiver...he needs alot of work. ALOT.I definitely feel that both bedside manner and surgical competence are equally important.
I felt comfortable with him and found he was honest with expressing the risks of the surgery. Since I have a few health issues he was concerned regarding my non use of the cpap machine.
When I left his office I was a little frightened but anxious to still have surgery and get it over with as soon as possible. He seemed sincere, competent and I had gotten a recommendation from a friend of a friend who said he was cautious but competent and that her surgery had gone over very well.
He said the aftercare program is of critical importance and said he wants only the best for his patience. I rate him highly because I truly believe he has the patients best interests at heart and will do his best for me.
It is my feeling, and this is based on just the short consultation, that he outlined the risks and made me feel comfortable. I have not met with any other surgeons and cannot base this on experience only on gut feelings.
I don't know if another person will feel the ssame way or come away with the same reactions.
My first impression was of a surgeon who doesn't have the typical surgeon's lack of personality. He's very approachable, very easy to talk to, has a ready smile, and is not rushed when meeting with his patients. The pre-approval testing is very complete, and gives a good picture of your overall health. A pre-surgery support group meeting is mandatory, as are meetings with a psychologist and a nutritionist. Surgical risks are discussed very openly and completely, to the point that you leave his office with a lot of information to think about. A decision to have surgery cannot be made lightly if you're one of Dr. Gadaleta's patients. Aftercare is stressed, and patients must agree to attend regular group support meetings.