I just got off the phone with the Bariatric Resource Center through my insurance.  It looks like I meet all the requirements to get my surgery, except that I will need to complete a 6 month supervised diet.

However, they informed me that I will need to have my surgery through a Center of Excellence. I'm having trouble finding a listing of surgeons or hospitals.  I go to this website http://www.surgicalreview.org/locate/bariatric-2/ice/ and can not see any surgeons in the US.  I did locate two in my state, but neither of them performed the DS. 

What even is a center of excellence?  How can I find a surgeon who is experienced with the DS?

a tertiary or quaternary health care provider that is identified as the most expert and cost efficient and produces the best outcomes. The term often refers to organ transplantation centers. Also called center of quality.
Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier.
Center of Excellence
Academia A hospital or medical center recognized by its peers in the medical community as providing high quality health care in one or more specialties
Tertiary care A hospital designated by Medicare as one for which it will reimburse expenses for a particular procedure--e.g., liver transplantation--based on that center's higher than average rate of success
Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
center of excellence
Tertiary care A hospital designated by Medicare as one in which it will reimburse expenses for a particular procedure-eg, liver transplantation, based on that center's higher than average rate of success
McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

 

from www.dsfacts.com   Apparao N. Vanguri, M.D.
Specialty		General Surgery
Secondary Specialty		Weight-Loss/Bariatrics
Primary Address		8872 Belair Road
		Baltimore, MD 21236
		Directions
Phone		(410) 529-7500
Fax		(410) 529-7510
Board Certification		General Surgery 1981
Medical School		Guntur Medical College (aka Nagajuna University)
Internship		MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
Residency		MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

 

Why should you choose Franklin Square Medical Center for bariatric surgery?

• We are a Bariatric Center of Excellence

Johns Hopkins does the D.S. I believe, its' in Baltimore. Check Maryland. Dr. Kemmeter's bariatric group- Grand Health Partners has a "Center of Excellence" emblem on their web site. They meet the criteria determined specifically for their specialty. My husband is a radiologist, he had different requirements to achieve for his group, and received this award this year. The 6 month supervised  diet is a requirement for everyone now, my surgeon told me. I slipped in just before the new rule. 

Traveling for a super surgeon is done often for the D.S. I believe you could do the diet part at one Dr, possibly your PCP, or a medical weight loss program through a hospital, document the time spent and lbs lost,  and travel for surgery for an experienced D.S. surgeon. Having this surgery takes lots of research, but it sure is worth it.

Hien Tan Nguyen, MD

Back to Search Results Assistant Professor of Surgery Appointment Phone: 410-550-0409 Primary Location: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Expertise: Bariatric Surgery, Duodenal Switch Procedure, General Surgery, Hernia Repair, Hernias, Incisional Hernia Repair, Inguinal Hernia, Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery, Laparoscopic Gastric Banding, Laparoscopic Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Natural Orifice Surgery, Paraesophageal Hernia, Robotic Surgery, Single Incision Surgery, Sleeve Gastrectomy, Ventral Hernia

 

Hope you aren't pulling this info from OH - just because someone here lists the DS as being performed doesn't mean they actually are (a) doing it or (b) have any experience in it.

Trust me, the OH listings are the last place I'd be looking for a surgeon to perform the DS.

 

That info was straight from John's Hopkins so there!!!

 

Lol seriously, that was from The apropriate websites of the appropriate medical centers.  Not endorsements simply information gleaned from their sites, I assume the op is wise and will do further research.

I'm actually very good at research, it's my specialty. 

BTW, you saying "trust me" is the same concept as the med center/doctor saying "trust them".

Well, considering I've been in the DS community for almost 9 years, living with my DS almost 8, when I see the name of a doctor I've NEVER seen before, I'm going to beg caution.

 

Whatever.

Ah but the point is the op doesn't know you from a hole in the ground, doesn't know if what you say is true or false either. Or know me for that matter so the wise sage will advise caution and research in all undertakings. The wise consumer will excercise due caution and perform due diligence and meet the hired help, ask questions, review background and qualifications, and history. Not meant as an insult in anyway just saying you must qualify your pov if you should like to be seen as the expert that you are with the kind of seniority you have in this area.

You really are not that far from NYC which has a couple of DS surgeons.

One is Dr. Alfons Pomp who did my husband's surgery and his is a COE. I wanted him to do mine but my insurance company did not want me to have mine out of state.