Kaiser Fremont Medical Center Hospital

There are good and bad everywhere, not speaking of the OR staff-the nurses were both on one extreme excellent and the other extreme horrible, it just depended on the nurse for that day!

Sincere, friendly, informative.
It hasn't I still believe he want to see his patients succeed.
Office staff knowledgeable, low key, somewhat friendly, more clinical.
I hate driving all day for a 15/30 minute appointment.
I wish I could have spent more time with Dr. Dennen, everything happened so fast, he truly accommodated my wishes.
Future patients should know he is sincere and caring.
He emphasizes aftercare as a priority. It's just the drive is so far.
Several follow up appointments, nutrionist also.
Addressed risk in a detailed appointment.
I would rate him 8.5/10 overall. Only meet with him 4 times.
Both bedside manner and surgical competence were fine.

I found DR Dutta to be very caring, gentle, and truly interested in helping me to become healthier. He is very understanding of my whole situation and I feel confident that he will do his best to make my life better. I felt that he listened to my complaints and consernes and addressed them in a way that I could understand.

Nancy, the case coordinator, is very helpful. She has returned all of my calls promptly. She is very interested in setting up Kaiser/Fremont's new Bariactric program to run smoothly. If she didn't have the answers to my questions, she told me who to speak to and how to reach them.

This program allows the doctors to get all types of testing done on an individual basis to make each person as safe for the surgery as possible. The aftercare here is set up to be very good. DR Dutta is continuing to add info to his website that will help all PCP's and ER doctors to treat WLS patients when problems arise.

The waiting between the 12 steps to WLS is long, but, I feel that it helps us to have a chance to get all of our chickens in a row before we commit ourselves to the knife.All in all, I would say this new program is doing a super job.

Dr. Dutta and Dr. Dennen will both be doing my surgery they are both very nice and friendly. The staff I have met have been very helpful and prompt. Aftercare is very important at this office and we get lots of info on it. There is a very structured aftercare program they have appointments often after surgery and even give you a timed meal plan for the first 4 weeks so there is no mistaking what needs to be done. The surgery risks were discussed honestly and explained well. So far I would say both Drs. are a perfect 10 but I wont know for sure until after surgery. I think bedside manner and surgical competence go hand and hand without one how can you be confident about the other. I couldn't trust my life to a DR who was not friendly or competent in doing his job.

She was wonderful. She was very affectionate and considerate. She meant business though she advise me that I had to lose weight before the surgery, I could not add any more weight after my initial visit.

She is very professional, spoke to my husband and daughter. Her staff, Anne Timberlake is outstanding and the other ladies are very good and caring personnel.

There was not anything that I was not happy with.
Her aftercare was very good, they encouraged you to call them with any questions. Her follow up was very good.
Yes there is an aftercare program very well structured.
Yes they address the surgery is very risky and complication can occur.
Overall I will Rate Dr. Chu on a scale from 1 to 10 and 10 being the best I would rate her a 10. Both.

I liked Dr. Christine Chu right off the bat. She is very knowledgable, very personable, and extremely sensitive, without seeming fake. She talked to me for over an hour. I left Dr. Chu's office knowing that I was making an informed decision and completely satisfied with her competency and bedside manner. She completed a fellowship after residency at Mt. Sinai in NYC, where she performed 200+ lap surgeries, mostly bariatric. The office is made up of the nurse specialist, Anne Timberlake, and the office coordinator, Shirley. They both are great! It's not a big office type situation, and makes you feel like you are the only patient, no fast turn around, no meetings with 20 other patients.

3/19/03 New doctor:
Dr. Christine Chu is upfront, honest, direct and to the point. Just what you need from a doctor. Dr. Chu spoke with me for over an hour, discussing the type of surgery, the complications and side effects (if any). We discussed what will need to take place before the surgery and continued care throughout and thereafter. I highly recommend her. New to the area, she is part of the Bay Area Surgical Associates, which includes Dr. Asbun and Dr. Ottero. Very easygoing, but still a doctor. She screens all her "soon to be" patients carefully. Dr. Chu does not come in and say "ok, when do you want the surgery." Unlike going to SALSA, where they will take anyone, she does her own pschy analysis before you are even approved by her. This is a trait all doctors should follow. This surgery is not for everyone, and she is a rare exception to this weight lost industry, in which I found some don't care how much you have to lose, how much you gain before your surgery, or your overall well-being. This is NOT Dr. Chu. Competence, bedside manner, don't take my word for it. Each individual is different. Some don't want a doctor to tell them the truth. All they want to hear is "ok, you can have the surgery." That is NOT a doctor. That is once who is out to make a buck, or just push you through. I am quite pleased with my enitre process, no matter how long it may be. I am definitely not changing this time around.

****Please note: the following info is based on my first consult back in 2/2003..as of 3/2003 I have a new doctor*****
I do not have one negative thing to say about Dr. Waldrep. At least not yet. He was very informative. Answered all questions no matter how trivial they may have seemed. Very matter-of-fact and to the point. Just what you should be looking for in someone who is going to help change the rest of your life. His partner, Dr. Suh, was just as informative. They both addressed the risks, aftercare, and stressed how this is merely a tool to get you started in the direction you have chosen. This is not a surgery that they are looking for you to have, but one you are looking to have done for yourself. You are making this decision to better your health, your quality of life, and these two doctors seem more than willing to help you. Provide you the tool to start fresh, and you must do the rest. Overall, I would rate them both an 8. Could very well move them to a 10 in no time. ***This rating is for the doctor's only, I question the office staff*** Be advised, this is more of a cattle call...They perform more than 3 surgeries a day. Roll you in, roll you out, bring in the next one. Then you go home with a drain in you still.....I would watch this one if I were you. No one on one time...is this what you want. I do not question the competence of the doctor's themselves, I question there means for this surgery (money??maybe). They do not put restrictions on your weight gain before surgery, why? Check it out yourself, but always, screen more than one doctor. See how they perform, rate, and compare...