Fresno Heart and Surgical Hospital Organization

**UPDATE**
March 8, 2003
Dr. Higa is my hero!! He is a very nice and funny man! Pre-surgery, you don't many chances to get to know him, but with the 5 day hospital stay and 1 follow-up appt., I can see who he is as a person! I think it is very important to know who is 'fiddlin' around with your innards' as I jokingling referred to it to my grandpa! I would recommend him to anyone! He IS the best!! He probably trained most of the doctors out there! :)
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Feb. 10, 2003
My surgery was moved BACK to the 25th! Dr. Higa told me that with having to basically cut my old surgery out, the risks of surgery are doubled for me. He was very nice, didn't mention the fact that I'd gained about 10lbs. since last year!
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Jan. 3, 2003
My surgery date has been moved up to Feb. 14, 2003. Dr. Higa's office called me and let me know...I was so glad that they didn't push it BACK! :) I have my pre-op visit with him on Feb.10, and my 1st post-op visit set for Feb. 21.
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Nov. 2002
I have my pre-op appt. with Dr. Higa on Feb. 19, 2003, with my surgery date set for Feb. 25th! I have been waiting such a long time for this surgery...but I know it will all be worth it!!
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Nov. 8, 2001
I met with Dr. Higa, he is a very warm and sincere man. I feel very confident that he is the best choice for my surgery! He said he was sure he could help me, and even ventured to say that he felt he could go with the Lap! Of course it all depends on the 'status of my previous surgery', so he is sending me to a another dr. to have some tests done...didn't sound like I was gonna like what would be done, but I gotta do what I gotta do! I'll keep ya all posted on how things go. Oh, one thing, the psych evail. doctor they use asks for $235. up front!! So guess what I'm giving myself for Christmas!?
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Sept. 28th, 2001
I went to the seminar...one more hurdle out of the way! Although I already knew everything that was presented, I can see how these seminars would be helpful for those who do not have the internet, or have just started their journey. Dr. Ho was the speaker, and like I've heard before, she is YOUNG!! Quite pleasant and informative. She seems to be honestly concerned for the well being of the overweight. Nothing condescending, but you can tell she is passionate about her field. I would be VERY pleased to have her as my surgeon. I have an appointment date with Dr. Higa set for Oct. 22nd. I'll post more when I meet him.


Aug. 9, 2001
I haven't met him yet, but I do have a date set for my mandatory seminar. I have a referrel for my consult too! Just have to wait till December!

I have yet to meet Dr. Higa, but will update when I do.

I have been very comfortable with Dr. Higa and confident in his ability. He is very skilled and experienced in performing the Lap RNY. In the beginning, I had a hard time getting return phone calls (or even getting a chance to speak to someone live)from his staff which in turn ended up delaying my surgery but I have found that recently they have been making a serious effort to improve in this area.

My father is a well known doctor and surgeon in Las Vegas but does not perform the gastric bypass. I researched several surgeons for my proedure and decided my Dad would be the best judge. I already knw in my heart that Dr. Higa was right for me. Dad told me Dr. Higa was the right man. He was a reader and was up to date on the proedures and he felt 100% confident in Dr. Higa. I liked Dr. Higa and his staff the frist time I met him to 1 post Op appoinment. He knew who I was and my name, I wasnt just another numbered person. He came to the hospital several times to check on me and the others that had it done that day. He talks to you about prior care and after car. He also gives you specific instructions for each week. I always came with a list a questins which he took the time to answer. He did address the risks and possible complications although in his practic he has had very little of either. He prepared me physically with the surgery to lose weight but he also prepared me mentally by telling me what feelings I may have after surgery. Dr. Higa was sooo fantastic! It took me 2 months to get my 1st appoinment with him but he was sooo worth the wait. He is the right man, I trustd him and I believe in him.

I first saw Dr. Higa at the information meeting. I thought he had a wonderful sense of humor, and I like that. It makes me feel more comfortable, and makes him more approchable. When I had my pre-op appointment, his sense of humor was confirmed and my husband felt at ease with him also. He didn't rush us and he wanted to be sure I was ready. I was not happy with the office staff in the begining, but once I got through them, Dr. Higa made it all worth it. He was very caring while I was in the hospital, and came to vist me several times. I am very happy that I stuck it out to have the best.

Dr. Boone was great! He made me feel very comfortable and was very informative. The only thing that changed was that he goes very fast and I felt like I was constantly trying to keep up with everything that he was saying. The best thing, though was that he has a great staff! Especially his assistant Robin. I found that she allmost all of the answers that I needed and was allways accessable. The day of surgery and at the hospital the after care was great. They kept me there for 3 days because I was running a fever. Even though I wanted to go home, I knew it was for my own good that he kept me there. I felt like I was really being taken good care of. Now there are monthly visits and monthly support group meetings.He addressed all risks of surgery very honestly and openly. He recomended that I have my husband come to the pre-op appointment(I also took my mother)just so we were all clear of the risks involved and the procedure itself and the care afterward. Overall I would give him an 8 out of 10. He moves and talks so quickly that it was sometimes hard to keep up with him, but his staff and his thouroughness made up for that. I think that both surgical compitance and bedside manner are both great!

I was very impressed with Dr. Boone on the initial visit. He was very knowledgeable and addressed all of my concerns. His office is thoroughly adept in all aspects of the process from the insurance approval through post-op care.

DR. HIGA IS WONDERFUL. HE PUT ME AT EASE. HE MADE ME FEEL IMPORTANT AND HIS STAFF WAS WONDERFUL. I DROVE FROM LOS ANGELES TO HAVE HIM HELP ME. HE MADE THE PROCESS SIMPLE AND AS EASY AS POSSIBLE. THE NUTRITIONIST, THE PSCYH EVAL WAS ALL EASY TO MAKE APPTS. AND EVERYONE WAS ON THE "SAME PAGE". THIS MADE THINGS SO MUCH EASIER. I HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH DR. HIGA.

I FELT VERY COMFORTABLE WITH DR.BOONE,AT THE VERY FIRST VISIT HE SAID HE COULD DO AS MANY 6 TO 8 SURGERYS A DAY BUT HE WOULD ONLY DO 4 BECAUSE HE WANTED TO GIVE HIS PATIENTS THE TIME THEY DESERVED.MY IMPRESSION OF HIM NEVER CHANGED,I HAVE LIKED HIM FROM THE FIRST VISIT WITH HIM.HIS OFFICE STAFF WAS ALWAYS HELPFUL,THEY MADE THINGS EASY,WHEN IT CAME TO PAPER WORK AND SCHEDULEING.I WOULD CHOOSE DR.BOONE TO DO ANY SURGERY THAT HE COULD DO THAT I NEEDE TO HAVE DONE,HE'S WORTH THE TWO HOUR DRIVE TO HIS OFFICE FROM MY HOME.HE WAS IN MY HOSPITAL ROOM BY OR BEFORE 6 A.M. EVERY MORNING THAT IWAS THERE AND HE VISITED ME BEFORE HE WENT HOME IN THE EVENING.AFTER CARE IS IMPORTANT TO HIM,THE DAY AFTER I GOT HOME I HADN'T DRANK ENOUGH GATORADE AND GOT DEHYDRATED,WHEN I CALLED HIM HE TOLD ME TO COME TO HIS OFFICE AS SOON AS I COULD,WHEN I FINALLY GOT THERE IT ONLY TOOK THEM TEN MINUTES TO GET IN TO SEE HIM.HE ADMITTED ME TO THE HOSPITAL RIGHT AWAY ON I.V FLUIDS AND HAD X-RAYS TAKEN AND BLOOD WORK DONE,JUST TOO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS O.K.THANK THE LORD IT WAS,BUT HE STILL MADE ME STAY OVER NIGHT JUST TO MAKE SURE I WAS O.K AND THAT MADE ME FEEL EVEN BETTER ABOUT HIM.HE ALSO CAME TO SEE ME THEN BEFORE HE WENT HOME,AND CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY BEFORE I WAS DISCHARGED AND CALLED ME AT HOME TWO DAYS LATER.HE TOLD ME ALL ABOUT THE RISKS OF THE SURGERY, I SAW HIM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I HAD THE SURGERY,AND EVERY TIME HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE RISKS JUST TO MAKE SURE I KNEW THAT THE SURGEY WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO DO.I WOULD RATE DR.BOONE A 10,BETWEEN MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL SURGICAL PROCEDURES DONE AND DR. BOONE WAS ONE SURGEON WE FELT VERY COMFORTABLE WITH.EVERYTHING ABOUT DR.BOONE IS GREAT,HIS BEDSIDE MANNER AND HIS SURGICAL COMPETANCE.

So Far I am completely happy with Dr, Higa and his staff. I feel the real relationship starts after the surgery, and I am only in my 2nd week post op, so I will have to up date this later, after a few more post-op visits. I promise that I will.