"I probably had the best introduction to Dr. Avara and his staff one could get; my wife preceded me as a patient. I was able to see, first hand, how Dr. Avara and his staff deal with their patients without actually being a one. The staff treated my wife and, myself, with the deepest respect and understanding I have ever seen from medical professionals; especially, concerning obesity. From the very first time I shook Dr. Avara's hand, I knew that my wife would be in good hands. He is truely focused on helping people rid themselves of obesity. He has surrouned himself with a great staff who are very friendly and always ready to inform and help. rnSupport after my wife's surgery was much more than I knew possible. So, when it came to my getting surgery, there was no decision to make; Dr. Avara and his team were the only choice. Leading up to and, on the day of, my surgery, Dr. Avara was very encouraging and compassionate. During follow ups (fills), he has had agenda items that negate any of my positive opinions. No matter how much good progress I make, there's always something negative he focuses on. Dr. Avara provides no standards or suggested improvements to acheive his expectations. I leave the office very discouraged about my progress. It's the staff that help me to understand where I am doing well and where I might be falling short.rnYou can search the internet for months on end looking for information on WLS. You needn't look further when you attend the educational program that Dr. Avara's staff have developed and administer. I'm sure there are many gifted surgeons out there but, Dr. Avara and staff have won my loyalty. If you are in the MS Gulf Coast area and need WLS, have Dr. Avara do it; even if you have to pay out of pocket."
