Jeffrey E. Friedman Bariatric Surgeon M.D.

I had thought for over a year about doing this surgery. A friend had seen Dr. Friedman and was very impressed and happy with her results. From moment one, I knew I would like Dr. Friedman. He is forthright, open, and doesn't hold back the truth. HIs style fit me well. Right after I had my RNY surgery (09/20/11) my husband had back surgery. We have talked a lot about how we wish he had been as well prepared as I was before, during, and after the surgery. I knew what to expect and everything went as planned, whereas my husband was left with more questions than answers. This really pointed out how well prepared Dr. Friedman and his staff are. It is hard to believe I started this journey on 08/04/11 (my first appointment) and have lost 43 pounds since then. But the real transformation is in the organ we all need to work on: the brain. And Dr. Friedman and his staff are well aware of this fact. Going to the Bariatric Center is like visiting good friends who have really good advice. I can ask them anything even if it sounds really stupid. I am so happy with my choice of surgeons and would recommend Dr. Friedman and his staff with no reservations.

I should have already completed my review by now, but I am kind of glad I waited. I just went in for my year checkup last week and I am absolutely thrilled with this new life that Dr. Friedman and his staff have helped me attain. I was terrified about making the decision to have gastric bypass as I had many other surgeries with complications. I knew that I needed a surgeon that was really good at what he/she did and that is what I was looking for when I went in to meet Dr. Friedman.
What I found instead was a great surgeon who has a great staff and a strong structured program and aftercare program. They prepared me for the surgery and provided me with the tools I needed to do this successfully. Because for me, it isn't about a single number goal but about being overall successful in my weight loss. I want to be just as thrilled in five years as I have been in one. Dr. Friedman and his staff have given me the tools that I need to do that, both for the first week post op and for the first year.

I can't say enough good things about my actual hospital stay. The surgery went well, almost easy. Jennifer (his nurse who had GBP as well!) checked on me regularly as did Dr. Friedman. They both answered every question my brain could think of and always did it with patience. The hospital and the nurses on the wing were great and really committed to being kind to an obese patient, which truly meant a lot to me. When I got home they checked on me and answered even more questions with kindness and due diligence. And I have to mention Dr. Friedman was going through his own medical drama during my surgery and post op, but he never ever once made me feel like less of a priority and always made sure my needs were met. It was pretty amazing and was truly a sign of a good person, much less a good doctor.

In my opinion, Dr. Friedman is a great surgeon and runs a good program that will help you meet your goals. I think that is the best compliment I can give to a doctor, particularly a bariatric surgeon. You won't be disappointed if you are ready to be committed to your weight loss. It isn't easy in the beginning, but choosing the correct surgery and the correct surgeon is the first big step. Dr. Friedman can help you do that.

Dr Friedman and his staff have made this process so easy!! They have walked me through step by step and there has been no surprises! Complete prepared for before and after! It has made it such a breeze. I am 6 weeks out and feeling GREAT! I have had friends who have used other doctors before me and had a completely different experience, I am so lucky to have Dr Friedman and his staff along with me on this journey. I couldn't have made it without them!! Awesome, I advise anyone looking for a doctor should visit this doctor first.

I originally started my journey towards weight loss surgery with a different local surgeon. I didn't get to meet the surgeon, but for my insurance I met monthly with the nutritionist / dietician. The first visit with him had me leaving embarassed and angry... with only a few paper handouts to show for the visit. His assumptions and comments were what I expected from the general public, not a weight loss professional. I decided it was a "standard 1st visit speech" so I went back again the 2nd month. I received another fistful of handouts and instructions to cut out "all those deep fried foods" - even though he never reviewed the carefully documented food log I had in hand (which did not list any fried foods). Again, the 5-10 minutes he spent with me left me feeling humiliated and unsure.
I decided I would rather go through life struggling with my weight on my own than to deal with the frustration and embarassment.

And then a friend suggested I visit Dr. Friedman. WOW. What a difference.

The instant I walked in the office door I was greeted with a pleasant waiting room and an even more pleasant lady at the desk, Betty. Dr. Friedman came to the waiting room to get me and I had a consultation with him before even meeting the nutritionist. He was very friendly and down to earth. I wasn't even sure I wanted to go through with surgery, so Dr. Friedman reviewed all of the potential complications, risks and benefits. He sketched out the surgery on a piece of paper and wrote down the various medications and vitamins he would be requiring of me. When I left HIS office, I felt confident in my new decision to have RNY Gastric Bypass, and confident in my decision to have Dr. Friedman as my surgeon.

Throughout the remaining months of my insurance required visits, every visit was pleasant and reassuring. There was no rushing through and no "handout only" consultations. Every time I met with the nutritionist she explained her expectations, why she had them and how I could meet them. The nurse was WONDERFUL about making sure my anxiety and claustrophobia was addressed and made known to the entire team who would be involved in my surgery.

The morning of my surgery I expected to be frantic... but I was very calm and confident that I was placing my life in the hands of a great surgeon who had genuine concern for me as an individual, a friendly and thorough OR team who would see to my needs (especially the anxiety and claustrophobia, if the need arose) and I had advocates in both my surgeon and his nurse.

I woke up from surgery with mild pain, but mostly wanted something to moisten my mouth. I had very little pain throughout my stay (Tuesday morning - Thursday afternoon) and it was always addressed with reasonable quickness by the nurses on the floor. The nurses and techs were caring and attentive. Even the housekeeping staff seemed like my own personal cheer squad as I took my walks in the middle of the night.
Dr. Friedman visited me each day and checked on how I was feeling. He never made me feel like my questions were dumb or insignifcant.


I am only a week post-op and I feel great! I had my first post op visit and everyone in the office was happy and proud for me. It was like celebrating with friends instead of the usual feeling you get in a doctor's office. There is a 5yr aftercare program, so I feel good knowing I have resources available to me for the "long haul."

I adore Dr. Friedman and his staff.... and I feel like they are sincerely interested in playing a part in my success so that I can really LIVE life

I feel extremely lucky to have Dr. Friedman as my surgeon. His office staff is thorough, friendly, efficient, and speaks with experience (the nurse had the WLS as well). Dr. Friedman truly cares for his patients. He explained the process thoroughly; both the risks & rewards. He spoke honestly about the experience; what to expect before, during, and after the surgery. Everything about this process is structured, which I like. They provided a detailed outline for the diet, the surgery, and the extensive aftercare. Above all of that, he didn't treat me like a number. The bottom line is this: if you are within a two drive of Pensacola and you are thinking of having this procedure you need to call Dr. Friedman's office.

When I first started looking into gastric bypass the information was mainly for my daughter, I was the supportive mother going to all of the seminars and meetings to gather information. My daughter Angie has her surgery 6 months ago and is doing very well. I have now seen first hand how life changing this surgery can be and decided it was time to help myself. I am very blessed that Angie did most of the leg work of finding the right doctor, we did look at several options before finding Dr. Jeffrey Friedman. I knew when we first met him he was the doctor to have, he is very straight forward, thorough, optimistic, and caring. Dr. Friedman has a hand picked staff and they all have the same attitudes and professionalism the he exhibits. This process is a very nerve racking process with many anxieties of what could happen. Dr. Friedman is easy to talk to and gives the patient a confident and assured feeling all the while explaining all phases of the surgery and the risks involved. Although any surgery is filled with worries, Dr. Friedman's confidence in both himself and the surgery gave me a feeling of comfort. Dr. Friedman and his staff get very involved in both the pre-surgery, and the post-surgery, as well as follow-up (5 years minimum is required of each patient). I really cannot stress enough how great Dr. Friedman and his staff are, the overall competence, bedside manner, and follow-up are great and I look forward to working with them over the next 5 or more years. I have just started the process, I had surgery a week ago on May 26th. I would highly recommend Dr. Friedman to any and all people that are thinking of these procedures!

Originally I was to have a Gastric Sleeve done in November 2010, with another surgeon and it fell through. I went to another surgeon in Mobile, AL and that didn't work out either. I finally went onlline and found Dr. Jeffrey Friedman from the Baptist Bariatric Center of Excellence at Baptist Healthcare in Pensacola, FL. I made an appointment an saw Dr. Friedman. The difference between Dr. Friedman and other doctors is that he gave me all of the facts about the different procedures and he didn't try to talk me into anything. He is very passionate about his work and also very kind and caring.
The staff in the Bariatric Center are awesome as well. Two of the three staff members, like me, had the Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass done. The Bariatric nurse has had it done and is very supportive. You can call her with any questions and she will either answer them or get the answer for you. Also, at the Baptist Bariatric Center of Excellence, they have a program that monitors you either by the doctor, nutritionist, etc. for 5 years. It's like a built in support group.

I was ready to be the small person trapped in this large body again. I thought I wanted a Lap Band and after several discussions with Dr. Friedman, he convinced me that the Lap Gastric Bypass would be the better choice for me. I am a surgical nurse and had worked with my surgeon many times, so I had inside information. I got great help from the office staff as far as getting my insurance approval on the first try. The date was set and I did it.
It has been 3 and a half months and I am down 54 pounds and loving every minute of it. I would recommend everyone I know and every those I don't to see Dr. Friedman. He has been great and right there for me every step of the way. The Bariatric Center at Baptist Hospital is a Center of Excellence and Dr. Friedman is a great surgeon. I recommend them both.

Dr. Jeffrey Friedman is the best! I have never had a doctor or his staff so caring and understanding in my life! From the first day I met with the staff and with Dr. Friedman they made me feel great about the choice I had made and was there to help me understand the step that I needed to take. When I was scared, Dr. Friedman did all he could to help me and reassure me. After my gastric bypass the staff have cheered me on and returned my phone calls and have been there for me all the way! I can say that I look forward to each Doctors visit, Dr. Friedman and his staffs have become an extended family to me. SO I would recommend if you are looking for a weight lose team that you check into Dr. Friedman! I can’t say enough about him or thank him enough for what he has done for me and for my family! I’m a new person and I’m so deeply thankful for having a GREAT DOCTOR like Dr. Friedman and a chance to tell people about him!
Sincerely,
Alicia K. Griggs
Gastric bypass done 12-20-10
Pensacola Florida

If you want a Doctor that really cares about your health, is phenomenal at what he does, is an expert in his field, takes the time to answer any question, makes sure you are comfortable and anxiety free before - during - & after your surgery, someone who truly cares about his patients, has earned the respect and admiration of everyone in the hospital from other Doctors to the cleaning staff, and is smart enough to surround himself with a staff that shares his commitment to quality personal care to represent him. Look no further! Dr. Freidman and his staff are the best there is when it comes to caring for their patients. I am so blessed to have chosen such a wonderful group of people to guide me on this journey. Thank you all!