Center for Obesity Surgery in Gainsville Bariatric Center

Dr. Brient is great. Still 14 months later and just like the first day I met him he is always available for his patients either in office or by his cell phone. Anyone in search of a surgeon I recommend Dr. Brient.

My first impression of Dr Brient was wonderful! I can't stand going to a doctor, and I usually feel very negative about it. I have only seen him once so far, but I was immediately at ease with him. He went over the history of bariatric surgery and explained why he does what he does in the way he does. He did address the risks of the surgery very well. He made me feel very comfortable with my decision. The staff I have had contact with have been wonderfully helpful. I was able to meet a few of them and I have spoken to a few of them on the phone since then. I have been extremely pleased so far. My surgery is in a few weeks, my pre-op testing is next week, and my pre-op appointment is the following week. I should have more to add to my opinion here soon!!!

I had my surgery Oct 17th 2005. Dr.Bruce Brient is a very carring and with a big heart for people. He has a wonderful bedside manner and takes his time to listen to you and helps you understand everything! I trusted him with my life and if indeed you may have any issues after surgery he is there for you no matter what!rnHe loves great jokes and has a few of him self. Over all I couldn't ask for a better Dr.!rnHis staff is very nice and they do make sure you are doing thing right.rn

MY surgeon was a rather new Dr. named Tim Hipp...i was nervous at first because of his age and wasn't sure of his experience . He understood ,and i was reassured that Dr Eric
Thoburn would be in there with us .(He is like locally famous) Dr hipp has to be the best Dr i have ever met . He has great bedside manner and he doesn't spare the attention.. he is always there at my follow ups , he is GREAT!!!!
I even gave him a big hug and will always be thankful and grateful to him...100% 100%

03/02/2006 ~ Met w/ Dr. Brient today, he is wonderful! Very educated & well informed and has no problems whatsoever of telling you everything and anything about these surgeries ... the good, the bad & the ugly! I am very happy that I chose him for my surgeon ... Now it's up to the insurance company.

What was your first impression of him/her?

Dr. Brient is one of the most sensitive, caring, friendly, down to earth, readily available, skilled people and Drs. that I know. AND all of the above...genuine! He is a rare breed folks.
I have never met a doctor in any field of his calibre.

How did your impression change over time?

My first impression of him was he is funny and down to earth as well as warm and genuinely had a heart for the obese. My impression only got better over time.

How would you describe his/her office staff?

His staff are equally as kind and competent. From Jodi at check-in to Deb his nurse to dear Shirley who fights the insurance companies with us! They are all great!

What did you like least about him/her?

There is nothing I did not like about him.

What should future patients know about him/her?

Dr. Brient is very real and says it like it is. If you do not like blunt, you may want to look for another surgeon.

How much does he/she emphasize aftercare?

I Have not found an aftercare program equal to his. His ACP is 18 months long! You meet with a nutritionist at every appointment and she is available to you 24 hrs. a day.

How did he/she address the risks of surgery?

Very Candidly! He is up front about the risks and even the mortality rate. He is also up front with his record and fatalitys. (he has had 2 in 20yrs to date)

How would you rate him/her overall?

I would rate Dr. Brient a 10+

Which is better, surgical competence, bedside manner, or are both great?

Honestly, both are great! Dr.Brient makes you feel like you are a long lost friend of his. He visits you in the hospital in that way too.

When it comes to the medical field, I am the first to let it rip if I have seen or experienced something negative. (see my profile!) I honestly cannot say that I have anything negative to say thus far about my experience with Dr. Brient. I had some complications after surgery and Dr.B was gold to me. I even had his personal cell phone numer through my entire ordeal.

Dr Brient is / was very knowledgalble. Sure of him self. Pleasant to talk to. My Impression of him has not changed he is an awesome doctor. The Office Staff is as good as the Physician. They are very courteious, and they do call you back right away with answers. They care and you can tell. . Future patients can trust him. He will tell you exactly the truth, and he makes you feel comfortable being around him. Aftercare: They are very particular about after care.. the day I got home from the hospital the Nurse called me, they call you every day until your next appt. to make sure all is okay and we are doing what we need to be doing and to answer any questions you may have. Risks: They had a meeting upfront before we did anything they are very clear on the risks of the surgery, and what can or may happen.. We have a meeting with about 4 people of the office about Risks of surgery,( Nothing left unknown. they go over everything). If I had to Rate DR Brient I would rate him a 10, His Surgical Compentence and Bedside manner are both a perfect 10. I wouldnt change a thing..

Dr. Brient was not my first choice for the surgeon to do my surgery, but I am very happy that the situation worked out that I had to choose him as my surgeon, as I have a great deal of confidence and respect for Dr. Brient's abilities.
I started this process with another surgeon, attending two classes at his office with approximately a dozen other individuals each time. Both of these classes, while informative, were actually conducted by his nurse, and I never met this Dr., although his nurse was very pleasant. I had quite a bit of trouble with my insurance company at that time, and I felt like his staff was not very helpful, and were not very efficient in my dealings with them.
The change in surgeons was due to my becoming eligible for Medicare on Aug. 1, of 2005, and my first choice does not take Medicare. I had previously met Dr. Brient when I attended an information session with Dr. Brient and his staff with my wife, who is still trying to get approval from Aetna for the surgery.
My first impression Dr. Brient was very positive. I found him to be engaging, knowledgeable, and he has a dry sense of humor.
I have met with him on two more occassions, and I am all the more impressed by him. He is respectful, personable, appears to take a very strong personal interest in each individual. He spent a substantial amount of time with me on each of my visits, and was very open and honest about the surgery with all of its risks, as well as surgical and post-operative complications.
My wife and I have also found his staff to be warm and friendly, thorough in the information that they provide, and they make the whole process much more bearable.
The aftercare program seems to be very good, and Dr. Brient and his office stress the importance of follow-up visits and aftercare.
I have written quite a bit here, but to rate Dr. Brient overrall, I consider him to be a top surgeon and individual and I am very glad and grateful that he is my surgeon.
As for which is better, surgical competence or bedside manner, from the medical standpoint, surgical competence I would think to be the obvious answer, with bedside manner making the whole process easier to endure.

I am very impressed by Dr. Brient's professionalism, and how personable he is. Many surgeons seem to have a "god" complex. He is NOT like that at all. Very down to earth. I like the people in his office. At first I wasn't impressed with one of his nurses, but I guess I got her on a bad day, because she has been very nice since. The office has an 18 month follow up program. I had some post-op complications, and he was very responsive. Even met me on a Saturday to help. Overall, he is an excellent surgeon, both pre and post op. If I had anything negative to say, it would be that I wish that more of the possible non-life-threatening post-op complications would have been explained before hand. They did a good job with worst case scenarios, but some of the minor things were not mentioned. I have a problem with wound healing, and that was just briefly mentioned, but not in much detail. On the postive side, he and everyone in his office have done everything to be sure that this wound heals properly. They make regular phone calls, and arranged for a home nurse for wound care. This of course is just my experience. Others may have different experiences.

I have now switched surgeons. Dr. Duncan in atlanta gave me the run around and I need this surgery yesterday!!
I met with Dr. Brient on 6/23. My first impression of him was that he is a small man but he has a wonderful personality.
He THOUROUGHLY went over the entire surgery with me and I am beyond impressed.
I feel like I am in VERY capable hands :)