Wharton Medical Clinic

I asked my GP for a referral to a specialist clinic in bariatrics and has referred me to the Wharton Clinic.  I asked her about the surgery and she said that they would determine if I was a suitable candidfate.   Does anybody have any experience with the Wharton Clinic, it's covered by OHIP.

EDIT: Here's some links

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ON/board_id,5450/cat_id,50 50/topic_id,3654544/a,messageboard/action,replies/#28944269

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ON/board_id,5450/cat_id,5050/topic_id,3655659/a,messageboard/action,replies/#28947551

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ON/a,messageboard/action,r eplies/board_id,5450/cat_id,5050/topic_id,3655659/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ON/3678476/Any-Feedback-Ap preciated-on-Wharton-Medical-Clinic/

I would seriously meet with your GP and ask for a referreal to St Joes ( I am assuming you are close to Burlington - I dont remember what was on your info)
Dr Wharton is an entrepreneur in every sense of the word. I have nothing against entrepreneur's - I am one myself - but not where it involves health.

It is my opinion that his actions are all directed at making the most money from each patient.

Why dont you try to get on the list at St Joes...have your GP send in a referral. It may take a few months to get the call back and begin the process - but if you are serious about surgery then I would go directly to the surgeons...Wharton is not a surgeon.

Best of luck

barb

I have been going to the Wharton clinic, which is covered by OHIP, for over 2 years now and I have never had a problem with Dr. Wharton. I am shocked to read all the negative things I have read because he has always been very kind and understanding with me. HE reffered me to St Joes in hamilton and told me that I would have to lose about 20 pounds to qualify for the surgery there. You have to have a BMI of less than 50. He was very supportive and helpful in my quest to lose weight.
I am sorry for those who have had a bad experience with Dr. Wharton. I am sure it was incredibly disheartening.

I saw Dr. Sean Wharton for almost a year while he head the bariatric program at the Hamilton General. Thankfully he left because it's changed drastically for the better since his departure.

I did follow him to his Burlington clinic. He is exactly what was meantioned on this thread.. he's out to make as much money as he possibly can.

After I paid 3 grand for a bariatric program with him... and he promised me a referral after I completed it and followed him to his private Burlington clinic. I did and he retracted what he said about referring me despite completing the program. He insisted I pay him again for the program and when we asked him outright if he'd then refer me once I did everything he said  and his reply was "I can't guarantee that".

We walked out at that point.

If you want an awesome bariatric program... it's a few blocks away from Wharton's office... ask to be referred to the Hamilton General Bariatric Program. They have so many specialists to offer you, support groups, two weight loss programs and they do surgical referrals.

Best of luck!

Thank you all for the information about Wharton; it is greatly appreciated!

So after all of your posts I decided to write my doctor a letter. Below is the letter, let me know what you think.

"This letter is a follow-up from our appointment on Tuesday, November 17^th 2008 and regarding the discussion related to referrals for assessment at a bariatric facility and to an urologist. After having the evening to evaluate our conversation and conduct my own research I found it necessary to write you with my concerns.    First, I have reconsidered the referral to the urologist and would appreciate the opportunity to see a specialist regarding my issues with urinary incontinence.   Secondly, I felt somewhat hurt that the package of information that I presented to you was dismissed; I should have articulated my intentions clearly. Anyway, this package contained my history of medically supervised attempts of weight loss and my request for a referral to a surgeon not even contemplated. I greatly appreciate your referral to The Wharton Medical Clinic and look forward to hearing from them but at this point I really want to be assessed at one of the Ontario Bariatric Surgery Regional Assessment and Treatment Centres (RATC).  
  Brief History Prior to getting pregnant, I was at a more respectable weight at that ranged between 165 to 170 lbs (BMI <30). However, since having my son I have not been able to lose a significant amount and sustain any weight loss. I have been eating healthy and doing both spontaneous and planned exercise. I have made very serious and conscious efforts to lose weight through diet and exercise; I have seen a registered dietitian (Sandra Seville) and am currently participating in cognitive behaviour therapy with Dr. Erin Hanssen which follows the principles of The Beck Diet Solution. 
  Prior to that, I have lost weight on registered weight management programs such as: ·         Herbal Magic (Aug 2005 to Dec 2005), ·         Dr. Bernstein (Nov 2006, Apr to May 2007, Oct 2008 to Mar 2009) and ·         Optifast (Nov 2007 to Mar 2008)
  However, I have not been able to achieve a significant amount of weight loss as my weight has not gone below 200 lbs in more than 5 years. Prior to getting pregnant and prior to the Bernstein diet I was able to lose weight and keep it off. However, I was also in my mid-twenties, I worked out 2 hrs six days a week and played baseball 4 times a week and still weighed 160 lbs, but felt great.
  At this point, 100% without a doubt, I do not feel that I will succeed in achieving permanent weight loss without having surgery. I have done absolutely everything to lose weight; though only marginal loss was accomplished. Further to that, I have not been able to sustain it and move forward and achieve a healthy weight. To use the Albert Einstein quote, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity".  I know that this surgery will only become part of my toolbox and assist me to achieve a healthy weight.
Prior to the yo-yo dieting, I was a relatively healthy individual and I was able to maintain my weight with regular diet and exercise. However, this is no longer the case and my weight has increased to the point that I am now approximately 95 lbs over what I feel is a healthy goal weight of 140 lbs. My system is so far out of whack from the Bernstein diet that I can no longer eat certain foods (certain fruits, vegetables and any sort of bread, pasta or rice) without gaining weight. I do not feel that this is healthy or a sustainable way to live. Given my family medical history, I fear that if I do not take serious corrective action that I may be subject to a life of medications that will have effectively been prescribed to treat symptoms of obesity that would not have occurred if I could sustain my weight loss.
I am seeking weight loss surgery for way more than appearance. My goal is to improve my overall health by achieving and sustaining weight loss that reduces my risks to diabetes, hypertension and heart disease which runs in my family. I want to improve the performance of my daily activities, have better sleeping patterns and stop my negative preoccupation with my weight. I want to overcome my issues with urinary incontinence that is affecting my intimate relationship with my husband and my ability to perform certain exercises (walking, squats and group exercise classes). I know that a significant weight loss will provide me with the opportunity to achieve my goal of a healthy lifestyle at an appropriate and healthy weight. 
  I have discussed this with Dr. Hanssen and she agrees that the surgery would be a beneficial tool to compliment my motivation and desire to attain a healthy lifestyle and healthy weight. I would appreciate your support and request that you refer me to the following RATC to be assessed.   Given the wait times I would appreciate a referral to all four clinics named below:
  St. Joseph’s HealthCare Hamilton
phone number : 905-522-1155 Ext 33240
fax number :     905-521-6152
website : www.stjoes.ca Humber River Regional Hospital
phone number : 416-747-3720
fax number :     416-747-3731 Guelph General Hospital
phone number : 519-837-6440 ext. 2700
fax number : 519-837-6773 Windsor Regional Hospital Regional Bariatric Assessment and Treatment Centre
phone number: 519-971-9206
fax number: 519-971-9566
website: www.wrh.on.ca
  In closing, I am sure that you can see that from a medical perspective that I meet the requirements to be considered and candidate as outlined by OHIP:
  Patients who are thinking about having surgery must have a thorough medical and psychological assessment and meet the following criteria: ·         Meet the BMI criteria of greater than 35 with co-morbidities or greater than 40 and less than 50 ·         Have tried other weight loss programs ·         Be motivated and willing to make eating and lifestyle changes ·         Be willing to work with the multidisciplinary team ·         Participate in long-term follow-up ·         Have not had any previous weight loss surgical procedures Co-morbidities: I currently have been experiencing High Blood Pressure, Heartburn - Reflux Disease and Reflux Nocturnal Aspiration, Stress Urinary Incontinence, Emotional/Psychological and Social Effects as well as heavy snoring. Thanking you in advance for your consideration."

That's sounds great.. but I bet.. his response is going to be.. if he actually looks up from his computer screen while answering the MSN blings he gets every few seconds. That he'll require you to go through his program first before he'll give you a referral. He'll likely try to get you to buy non OHIP covered testing and items like scales, protein bars (that he got the idea from a bariatric group at the Hamilton General since they were high in protein).. he then started selling them and who knows what else.

He'll promise if you do what he asks he'll give you a referral but I personally will never believe that lie again. He's why I waited as long as I did. He's why when I was offered in 2007 I didn't get the referral... I refused to pay him. He works it like almost a bribe. Otherwise I would have been put on a list in 2007 instead of 2008. As soon as I got my new doctor at the Hamilton General.. he didn't hesitate to refer me. Funny how government paid doctors run through hospitals instead of private clinics don't have agendas and skip right to the part where they help the patient.

I'm hoping he's changed since I last seen him in 2007. I really do hope he's changed his ways. He had a chance to work with one of the most world renowned obesity specialists in the world. Dr. Sharma. He had asked Dr. Sharma to open a clinic with him. One of the nurses told me his response to him "I don't want it to be about the money". Then Sharma left for BC and to a big research grant they offered him. All because the Ontario government wouldn't fund his program he was running here in Hamilton. We lost one of the greats because of government funding. We need more money in our system!

Heh.

Mallory...


THANK -YOU!!!  now that made me see the light!

Always been a visual person!