Mark A. Colquitt Bariatric Surgeon MD, FACS, FASMBS

Great surgeon

Dr. Colquitt performed my lapband in 2005 and on April 19, 2011, he removed the band and did the VSG along with removing my gallbladder. He is a wonderful surgeon. I had no pain with both surgeries. He is incredibly supportive, but firm at the same time. He makes sure you understand the program and encourages you to follow all aspects of it. His staff is wonderful with very little turnover. (Being a HR Manager, I notice things like that, and low turnover also means he is good to work for). He and his staff are always available for questions and are excellent to return calls and follow thru on requests. His demeanor in office is friendly, polite and professional - but his beside manner after surgery is very warm which is important to me. I highly recommend him.

I really can't say enough good things about Dr. Colquitt and the entire staff at both Foothills Weight Loss Specialists and Blount Memorial Weight Management. I first met Dr. Colquitt at the information seminar I attended when my Internist recommended Foothills Weight Loss Specialists. He seemed very self-assured and confident as he explained the various surgeries the practice offered. One wants a confident surgeon! When I met Dr. Colquitt at my initial consult, he seemed rather quiet but still very knowledgeable and he answered all my questions patiently. The practice, affiliated with Blount Memorial Hospital, has access to awesome nutritionists and there is a psychologist affiliated with the practice, as well. My only regret is that the psychologist, Dr. Cox, doesn't take on-going patients because I really liked him a LOT! Foothills Weight Loss Specialists is a Bariatric Center of Excellence and many insurance companies are now not paying for surgery unless you get it from a CoE because they have an intensive pre-op process including nutritional & exercise training, psychological evaluation, and training on emotional eating. Follow-ups are required at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months and then annually for life. Dr. Colquitt discussed the risks of the surgery, but treated me like an intelligent person who is capable of making her own decisions rather than belaboring the point.

My advice to the future patient is to follow the doctor's advice to the letter! I did, and I'm convinced that's why my surgery went so well and why my recovery has been a breeze!

I cannot think of anything negative at the moment, but I'm only 6 weeks out. I don't forsee my positive endorsement changing, but one never knows. In any case, these are only my opinions, based on my current, personal experience. :-)

I have only met Dr. Colquitt briefly. I haven't had any contact with him since my first visit when we talked about which surgery I was interested in having, that was my one and only time so far. I will say he has an excellent reputation. His staff is amazing. They are on top of everything. You call and they call you right back. I do hope to the see doctor more as my surgery is approaching quickly.

When I met Dr. Colquitt I was impressed with his knowledge of the surgery and how understanding his staff was. After my surgery my 1st visit was fine. Every visit after that I felt worthless when I left his office. He said I wasnt losing enough and was not supportive. It ended up causing me to not go in for regular appointments. I think he is a great surgeon but I felt he was not very understanding afterwards.

I have met with Dr. Colquitt and found him very pleasant. He was also very professional and made both my husband and myself feel comfortable about everything. The staff is great and respond quickly to any email or phone calls I make to them. This group in very into preop and after care. They are affiliated with the psychologist, dietician and other members who will be helping me through this whole procedure, so you don't have to searching for a professional that you will need.rnrnAlthough I have met the surgeon, I am awaiting my charts for the last 5 years, then will see the nutritionist and they will send my paperwork for approval.rnrnThis group has a very high success rate and he alone has done over 350 bariatric surgeries.

He really seems like a great person!! Very knowlegable!

I can't say enough about Dr. Colquitt. He is amazing. I have been treated with the most respect and dignity. Some people might find him stand-offish because he is very quiet, however he is straight to the point about everything. He has a wonderful relationship with all of his staff and patients. I did my homework before deciding on a physician. I chose to go out of the local town that has a surgery to another town because of his background and training. I've very very very happy with choosing Dr. Colquitt. He has been extremely sensitive to my needs and the minor complications that have come along. Even though I'm only a little over a week post op, I would do it again and I wouldn't choose anyone different. rnrnI really can't say anything negative to say about Dr. Colquitt. Even in pre-op when I was obviously upset and nervous, he held my hand and promised he would take care of me. I was always \"right there\" when I needed him. There is no way I would consider any other physician. For those that feel he is a little \"quiet or resevered\", get to know him...he won't steer you wrong.

I haven't even been to the seminar yet. Well, I went last time I was thinking about this, but that has been two years ago. We'll see how everything goes. I know several people who used him and loved him.

Dr. Colquitt is an experienced, competent surgeon, and this is exactly how he comes across. He is very matter-of-fact and doesn't waste time when explaining things. However, he does make sure that all patients' questions are answered to their satisfaction, and he concisely explained all the pros and cons of the surgery during our first consultation. In fact, I even asked some things numerous times, and he re-answered them thoroughly to reassure me. Personally, he may come off as a little quiet and reserved, which could be mistaken for coldness, but he really does care for each of his patients. I know there are many patients who feel they owe their lives to him. His office staff is also very friendly and reassuring. Unfortunately, the fact that I'm the practice's first gastric sleeve surgery caused a little bit of confusion in the beginning. Luckily, the patient advocate, Terri, has been diligent about making sure I know what's going on, and vice versa, at all times. She even spent 4 hours on the phone with my insurance company to double-check that they didn't cover the procedure! Aftercare is emphasized a lot in this program, and there is now a policy in place that requires all pre-op patients to attend at least 1 support meeting before surgery. I think this is great, as I went to support groups for 4 months before even having my surgery! They've also added 2 more required pre-op classes on body image other psychological issues, which have also been offered to post-op patients at no charge. The program also includes a 3-month membership to the hospital's wellness center and 3 personal training sessions, so we can improve our exercise habits safely after surgery. Our program's coordinator, Dana, and nutritionists, Angie & Heather, are also outstanding. They're a bit more personable than the doctor, and Dana is especially invested in each and every patient. She went out of her way to help me before my surgery and was also present for the procedure -- from the pre-op staging area to the operating room to recovery, and finally to my room in ICU. She checked on me the day after my surgery as well, and even called me at home a few days after I was discharged. Overall, I would say Dr. Colquitt's surgical competence outweighs his bedside manner, but I would still rate him high on all points, at least an 8 out of 10. As for his office staff, I'd give them the same - 8 out of 10. Finally, I'd rate the program coordinator, Dana, and the nutritionists a 10 out of 10, as they couldn't have been more helpful to me so far!