Pre-Surgery Evaluation
Meeting with Fresh Start Bariatrics Patient Advocate
Soon after attending the free Fresh Start Bariatrics seminar, you will have an individualized appointment with the Fresh Start Bariatrics Patient Advocate. You are encouraged to bring your spouse, family or a friend with you. The Patient Advocate will help you thoroughly understand the Fresh Start Bariatrics program member and explain your health insurance benefits. If you choose to schedule your all-day evaluation appointment, you will make a modest financial commitment to reserve your space. Your evaluation appointment will be made for you at this time.
Your One Day Comprehensive Evaluation Appointment
We know you are very busy and have many family and work commitments. At Fresh Start Bariatrics, we are respectful of your time by bringing our professionals to you. Your evaluation appointment is designed to provide all the information you need to make a final decision about bariatric surgery and to gather all the information needed to submit to your health insurance plan for approval.
Your evaluation appointment will begin at 7:30 a.m. and will last into the afternoon. Lunch will be provided.
Your evaluation appointment will include:
- Medical evaluation with our Internal Medicine physician, or Bariatric surgeon, Dr. Myers
- Psychological consultation with a Psychologist
- Nutritional consultation with one of our specially trained dietitians
- Educational sesssions
Medical Evaluation
In order to make sure that bariatric surgery is appropriate and safe for you, a full medical evaluation is completed. The physician will do a complete physical exam, review your health history and discuss your health status with you. You will also have blood drawn for blood tests including a complete blood count, chemistry analysis, lipid profile and thyroid studies. A chest x-ray and an EKG are ordered. If the physician feels you need additional diagnostic testing, these tests will be arranged for you at this time. These may include a cardiac workup with a stress test and an echocardiogram. Occasionally, catheterization may be necessary. Sleep studies are often a part of this process as well, since obstructive sleep apnea is a frequent medical condition caused by severe obesity. Other studies are tailored to your needs and only those studies necessary for your safety are ordered.
Psychological Consultation
During your evaluation appointment, you will have a consultation with a Psychologist who is a specialist in the evaluation of bariatric surgery patients. This will likely be required by your health insurance plan. And, patients find this support to be an important step to help them prepare for the many changes experienced after the operation.
During your consult, you will complete a few psychological surveys to help the psychologist know you better. If you and the psychologist decide further counseling is desired, you will be referred to another experienced psychologist.
Nutritional Consultation
One of our specially-trained dietitians will talk with you about your current eating habits and diet. The dietitian obtains a dietary history, helps you plan your pre-operative weight loss, helps you replace any vitamin deficiencies and explains the post-operative nutrition plan. You will learn about the changes you will want to make before surgery and the changes to your eating habits, amounts, frequency and food with this visit, and throughout your two remaining pre-surgery nutrition visits, the dietitian will provide you with extensive training in nutrition. The dietitian will help assess your readiness to make significant dietary changes, and this consultation will help you and the Fresh Start Bariatrics at Riverside Methodist team make a final decision about whether you are ready to proceed to surgery.
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