MultiCare Rockwood Clinic Bariatric Center

SAVE YOURSELF A LOT OF TIME AND HEADACHE BY GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE! SERIOUSLY!

All the doctors my wife and I have met with have been terrific, but somewhere, somehow, the clinic as a whole just does NOT do a good job. We have run into problems over and over again dealing with this clinic to the point where I am done. My impression, true or not, is that the staff are either incompetent or just don't care about their patients. From now on, I personally will no longer be dealing with them. I'm done.

The latest fiasco is this: We were there last Friday because my wife has been having pain (7 out of 10) for months. We met with Dr Rawlins (he was great) who explained what the problem was. It was severe enough that he wanted to get her in for surgery that day. She has eaten in the morning and so the team who would need to do the surgery said no. That's fine. We were told someone would be in touch Monday about getting it scheduled for this week. My wife got no call on Monday. She called up there on Tuesday and got voice mail. She left a message. No call back on Tuesday. She called again on Wednesday. Someone from the clinic called back Wednesday at 5:00 PM. Their story? They have no record of this. No record about a surgery that the surgeon though should have been done last week or a need to call us to get it scheduled. ZIP. ZERO. ZILCH.

It is absolutely ridiculous that something flagged as important enough that Dr Rawlins wanted to do surgery last Friday hasn't been followed up. Apparently this is not a big deal to them. No record of it... No calls back... Nothing scheduled... Do these people do their jobs?! Anyone?? It's just insanity that they don't take things more seriously. Finally, on Thursday my wife gets a call and they schedule her for September 2nd. Five weeks out! Five weeks when the doctor wanted to do it the day we were up there last week because it was that important. This is just idiotic.

And this is NOT THE FIRST THING!

Our insurance covers Zepbound, but it requires preauthorization. The clinic told us the insurance denied paying for it. Upon me talking to the insurance, it's because the clinic actually did NOT send the paperwork in for preauthorization. They may have sent paperwork, but if they did, they did not send it where the insurance wants it to go. The insurance had no record of anything being sent to them. Because of this, we had to shell out $500/month for this drug, when it is in fact covered. I followed up with this clinic a couple of times to get them to send the needed paperwork into the proper department at the insurance. CRICKETS! Apparently whoever is in charge of this just chose to ignore this and do nothing.

I was supposed to get lab work done down in the Tri-Cities last year. The clinic and I agreed where that would be weeks in advance. I scheduled it. I get there. I wait. My turn arrives. They tell me they have no order from the clinic. I wasted my time and a trip because the clinic didn't send the order to the lab. The clinic's excuse? They're unable to send electronically to that lab. OK. Fine. Why did they not tell me that before I wasted my time sitting there waiting to get my labs done? AND THEN THEY DID THE EXACT SAME THING TO MY WIFE AND WASTED HER TIME.

I don't know what this place's problem is. People there don't keep other people working there informed, or they're just totally unorganized, or they just don't care, but it's just not worth it as a patient. Go somewhere else.

19 years later I can still say I highly recommend Dr. Rawlins and his practice for top-notch surgical care as well as after-care. Due to many issues, around ten years post-op I fell away from following rules and regained. However, to this day my surgical pouch restrictions are still intact and I'm getting back on track with Contrave and thrilled that my surgical pouch is still working to help me.

Everybody kept saying, "Oh yeah, he's the best!" I thought, "Oh I'm sure everybody says that about their surgeon." Well, now that I have had my surgery, I can confirm that he is the best. I had some extra hoops I had to jump through to get approved for surgery, but it was because Dr. Bright genuinely wanted to make sure the surgery was a safe option for me. He came to see me before surgery, and then every day I was in the hospital afterward (3 days). When I had my gallbladder out, the doctor did everything by phone, conveying orders etc. through the nurses. I don't know if that was because it was an emergency surgery or what, but I was very impressed when Dr. Bright seemed to be so vigilant about my condition. Also, he did such a good job with the scalpel that I don't think the scars are going to be very noticeable at all. This man saved my life. I found out post-surgery that my liver is in pretty bad shape and had I not had this surgery when I did, I would probably soon have Cirrhosis. I am so grateful to Dr. Bright and the outstanding care team he works with for the opportunity to enjoy life again; I'm already feeling a lot better.

He is the most amazing surgeon I have known. He is on top of things before you even know what to ask. Very genuine and careing doctor, loves what he does, shows in all he does. I wold recommend him with highest regards. You can tell he loves his work.

The whole process was great. The material provided to help you walk through made everything easy. Now I have the steps to be sucessful following the surgery. Dr. Rawlins made certian all was going to go smooth and I have experianced very little pain.

Clearly at the top of his profession. An actual caring advocate for WLS. Supports patients in their battles with insurance companies. Nice personality. Staff were very nice. Reassuring but realistic. Does stress potential neg. consequences but reports almost no dangerous complications. Over 500 WLS surgeries accomplished. Willing to listen and negotiate on issues important to me. Was willing to give me the scientific reason why or why not I could do something. Post op I'm happy I selected him as the surgeon for RNY.

Awesome, he made me believe that change was possible and it has materialized.

Dr. Rawlins and his staff are amazing people! They all are very caring and I feel I picked the best surgeon to do my RNY surgery! I have not had any complications except for one small hiccup that turned out to be nothing, but even during that time when I called to ask advice it was Dr. Rawlins who happened to be on call and answered my questions and asked me to head to the ER. I feel the bariatric center at Rockwood and the hospital associated with it is the best! I had great care during my stay and with my follow ups.

Dr . Bright has been my life saver! He was kind, understandingthey and very competent. I know his staff is very busy and I felt I needed to stay up on things as so things were in place to get it all done. As far as the Dr. and his Assistant Megan I could never have made it thru it all and the after care has been great! I am 2.5 years out and they are still there for me.
raeanns

I was concerned because I had a slight cold prior to surgery. The staff from the Rockwood clinic were awesome! They took great care of me. The hospital, not so much but the surgeon has since changed hospital affiliations and I would recommend him with out hesitation.