Stephen Schechner Bariatric Surgeon M.D., F.A.C.S.

Both Dr Schechner and Dr Yancey operated on me and the are the absolute best! They're very professional, caring and compassionate. The office staff is extremely helpful and always there with answers to your questions. The aftercare program is also the best! I've had friends that had surgery with other drs and their aftercare was very minimal. I wouldnt hesitate to let either dr operate on me again.

Dr. Schecner is very concerned and cares about his pts. His office staff is very helpful and together they make a great team. He does all of his after care, and follow up visits for the rest of your life are at no charge. They have a informative class you have to attend before you are even considered for anything else. His surgical competence and bedside manner are both great.

My first introduction to this practice was at the group meeting conducted in one of the classrooms at Sentara Leigh Hospital. The meeting was conducted very professionally by Gretchen, Dr.Schechner's right hand gal.
She presented a very effective program on the surgery and what we could expect from them and what they expected from us.
Dr. Schechner put in an appearance but said very little. The second meeting was at the Dr.'s office and again I met only with Gretchen. She took down the necessary information explained the process. Jenny the insurance guru said she would work her magic and I would hear the verdict as soon as she received the word. That was 8/13/01. Today,8/28/01, I talked with Dr. Schechner and we set a date,10/01/01. He sounded very friendly and joked about my Jersey accent. We discovered we both when to undergraduate school in Phila. within a few years of each other. I will meet with him Sept.13th for my pre-op info.
Then I'll have the pre-op tesing at the hospital. I have great hopes and confidence in the decision to use Atlantic Surgical Associates.

Dr Schechner, was quiet, but with a tremendously caring dispostion. His office staff is very upfront and extremely polite, they will help you with anything!! When I went in for my surgery I was a nervous reck. Dr Schechner talked with before surgery and reassured me everything would be fine. The last thinking I remember, as I was being wheeled into the surgery room, it was freezing and I was shaking like a leaf, Dr Schechner grabbed my hand and started rubbing my arm in effort to make me stop shivering. That is one of the nicest things to remember before going under. He is very professional and has a wonderful bedside manner. I am so thankful to have he and his staff in my life!!

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Initial consult - not a 'people' person, but has done 1000's. Long waiting list for consult and surgery date. My research has led me to conclude he's worth the wait.
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3/18 - Although I don't doubt MacDonald's surgical competence I have serious questions about his respect for his patients. After waiting almost a month for an appointment with him to discuss why I shouldn't pursue surgery, he had a nurse call a couple of hours prior and tell me he did not want to keep his appointment, that he was too busy and that he wasn't going to change his mind anyway. I stated that I didn't expect to change his mind but I wanted understand his concerns so that I could consider them while pursuing WLS.

Well, I never heard back, despite being promised a callback. I think I at least deserved a face to face meeting after spending almost a year waiting for surgery!

If you decide on WLS with MacDonald - don't put all your eggs in one basket - pursue other surgeons. Keeping your options open will save you time and expense. Remember, you are not a charity case, you are paying them well for their services.============================================

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My new surgeon is Dr. Schechner in Virginia Beach. He is proof that you CAN find an excellent surgeon with a genuine caring and supportive doctor-patient relationship.

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1st impression was he is all business and he was. Nice guy with straight answers and no sugar coating.
The Office staff is great. I have called in with diet questions and always get an answer while I wait. I have been very strict with the food list I was given and as of yet have not had any trouble.
The aftercare is super. Life long follow up at no charge for the RNY follow-up and a support group that meets on Mondays every week.
The risk of surgery were explained in great detail with Dr. Schecner one on one and he explains what can/has gone wrong in each step of the surgery. With over 2500 to his credit the problems he has encountered don't add up to 1% based on my math. This last OV when he examined me was the scariest. Up until then I had no real concerns about waking up. His bluntness though I liked it was scary
My wife is a health care professional who has worked in the OR with many docs in the last 18 years. She told me that Dr. Schecner was the only person to perform this. It has been super so far.

Dr. Schecner & his staff were wonderful. They made me feel comfortable & at ease from my very first visit. They treated me with respect & diginity, unlike some other doctors who treated me like I was a fat slob. They helped me understand that it wasn't my fault I was obese. They are still very much a part of my new lifestyle & will be forever. They offer a support group meeting once a week, which gives me the opportunity to ask questions & talk with people who have had the same procedure I have. Without the support of Dr. Schecner & his staff, this operation would have been a terrible experience, however, because of them I feel it's the best thing I've ever done for myself.

This man is WONDERFUL! He is the sweetest man alive, with a wonderful badside manner. He is the best surgeon there is as well, after doing my RNY, a mastectomy on my grandmother, and hernia repair on my mother. I will cherish him forever! His staff is very competent as well, highly emphasizing aftercare. Jenny and Gretchen are the sweetest people in the world, and truly care about you and your well-being! The doctors (both Yancey and Schechner work together) are great about calls outside of the office...all times I had to call the answer service, they paged them and connected me right then! No waiting for a return phone call even! I highly recommend this practice!!!

I have not met Dr. Schechner in person yet but have spoken to him on the phone several times. He seems like a knowledgable man and is very nice. His office staff is great. They take their time when explaining the surgery and answer any questions you may have.

I would recommen Dr.Schecner to anyone contemplating the surgery.He has a wonderful bedside manner! He gives me all the time I feel like I need from him personally. He answered every question I had and still have, thoroughly! I think He is among the best in my area. From what I understand, people come to him from all over. His practice sponsers a support group that meets once a week...He wants to keep seeing you forever! His office is wonderful! Sometimes I call in with what seems to me to be a stupid question to me, they always make me feel wonderful and answer my questions, they never make me feel rushed...which I love!! I truly cannot say anything negative about him...I'm glad I chose him!