Saskatchewan's Bariatric Surgical Assessment Clinic

Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region provides Bariatric Surgical Assessment Clinic services in Regina.

As of September 1, 2009, the clinic will be operating out of a new location at 1731 College Avenue, Lower Level (located at the corner of College Avenue and Broad Street in Regina).

Until September 1, the Region will continue to see existing patients in temporary space at the Regina General Hospital until the new clinic is open.

Who is eligible to participate in the clinic?

The clinic is designed to assist in the care of those clients whose BMI (Body Mass Index) is between 40 and 60. In certain instances, clients with a BMI between 35 and 40 may be considered for treatment at the clinic, particularly if they have 2 or more additional conditions which are being managed, such as:

• Cardiopulmonary problems
• Severe sleep apnea
• Severe diabetes mellitus
• Physical problems interfering with lifestyle

You must be between the ages of 18 and 60, must be a non-smoker and cannot be pregnant, lactating or become pregnant to be admitted to the clinic.

How does the clinic help you?

1. You must first contact your family doctor to discuss your eligibility for this clinic.
2. Your family doctor will assess your condition and, if he/she feels you may benefit from the surgery, he/she will refer you to the RQHR Bariatric Surgeon.
3. You will be assessed by the RQHR Bariatric Surgeon and, if considered to be a good candidate for the surgery, you will then be referred to the Bariatric Surgery Assessment Clinic.
4. At the clinic, you will work with a multi-disciplinary team of health specialists.
5. To be considered a surgical candidate, it is mandatory that you:
   • remain in the program for a minimum of six months,
   • have attended all assessments, appointments and all three support group meetings, and
   • have maintained or lost weight.
6. Your request for surgery will be reviewed by the team. If all criteria are met, you will be placed on a surgical wait list.
7. The laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass will be the surgical procedure performed. Following your surgery, your length of stay in the hospital is expected to be four days.

All client assessments, group sessions and related treatments will be conducted and performed at the Bariatric Surgery Assessment Clinic located in Regina. All surgeries will be performed at the Regina General Hospital.

For more information about the Bariatric Surgical Assessment Program, please call the Region's Surgical Waitlist Enquiry Line at (306) 766-5241 or toll-free at 1-866-622-0222.

I was feeling very positive and enthusiastic when I read this.
Until today, I received a reply from my M.D.'s referral stating that they were no longer taking new patients :(

Mummy... Keep applying and don't get down!

Things will turn around!

I was accepted to this program. On June 23, I was put on the surgical wait list. The doctors are taking the month of August for holidays. I was wondering if anyone that has finished around my date received notification for surgery.........or if anyone has heard approx how long it may take to get in for surgery. I am so excited to have this done. I have never been thin my whole life, even as a child. I can not wait to get that boost I need to get there.

I know for sure they aren't taking August for holidays.  My surgery is August 9.  The health region has restricted surgery to once a week and no surgeries the week of a long week-end.  In the fall they will once again be doing surgeries twice a week.  It can come up pretty fast.  One of the women in my group had her surgery June 28 so 26 days after the last group.  If they had been doing them twice a week in the summer just think of how fast it could be done!!! I can't tell you how many people are on the wait list.

Wow that is amazing! So your were done your last group early June. We were at the end of June. Four of us started out in our group and at they end we were only 2. Hurray for you getting your date for August 9. How long was it before they called you with a date?  Fuzzy brown where are you from? I live in Esterhazy and I cannot find anyone that carries the protein powder except in Regina so 2 1/2 hours to GNC.

My name is Danette and I am from Regina.  They actually just called me last Monday.  July 12th.  so about 4 weeks before my surgery date.  I start my liquid diet on the 26th.  I think that is going to be hard for me. 

I have only looked at gnc.  I'm not sure where else they have it.  Maybe you could email Allison and she would have an idea of where to look.

Hi Danette, How is day two of the liquid diet going? I know you can do it! Keep at it and keep that beautiful skinny you in your mind and what the finished product will be. Rooting for you and very excited for you as well.

Hi Danette - My name is Kate. My Dr. just referred me to the program on Sept 7. Can you give me more of an outline of time frames.
How long was it from referral date to call from clinic?
How long from call from clinic to being in the program?
How long is the program?
How long from end of program to surgery?
Any idea how many people get turned down from the clinic?
Any info is greatly appreciated.
Thanks - Kate

 I was wondering if anyone could tell me how long it takes for the Regina Assessment Clinic to contact you after your Doctor has sent in a referral.  Do I need to be phoning Regina to see if the Referral was made?  

I saw my Doctor a few weeks ago and I know I have to work on Being patient, but my knees are getting worse every day and I would like to know what I need to prepare for.

I understand there are meetings every two months as well, I will be starting a new job soon(so long as my knees hold out) and would like to give them a heads up.

any info about the program would be welcome....

thanks 

:)