Understanding your weight-loss surgery journey
Weight-loss surgery program steps
Am I a candidate for weight-loss surgery?
If you answered yes to the above questions, we may be able to teach you how to change your habits, eat healthier meals, and be more active. Our team will help you decide if surgery is right for you. |
5 Steps of Your Weight-loss Surgery Journey
Step 1: Insurance, Paperwork & Welcome Group
- Check insurance coverage for bariatric surgery.
Use our insurance worksheet.
- Does your insurance have any specific requirements?
- Attend welcome group to learn more about our program.
- Turn in new patient paperwork.
- Download the Weight-loss Surgery Program Patient Handbook
Step 2: Initial Consult Appointments
- Attend the four initial appointments (medical, dietitian, physical therapy, behavioral health).
- Your behavioral health consult will last two hours; your other three consults will be one hour each.
- During your medical appointment you will review your health history. Orders will be placed for EKG and labs. You will be referred to a sleep medicine doctor for a sleep study if not already completed.
- You may need follow-ups with providers based upon individual needs and insurance requirements.
- If you are smoking, you will need to stop.
Step 3: Meet Insurance Requirements & Surgeon
- After the above steps are complete, you will meet with the surgeon to discuss your surgery options and the best procedure for you.
- After your surgeon appointment you may be asked to have some additional tests.
- Before having surgery, you will also need to complete any weight management appointments required by your insurance.
Step 4: Final Approval
- After the above steps are complete, our office will request final approval from your insurance company to move forward with surgery.
- Once we receive approval from your insurance company we will schedule your surgery and pre-operative visits to review information you will need to know before and after surgery.
Step 5: Surgery
- Surgery and follow-up appointments.
- We will see you for follow-up appointments three weeks after surgery and several more times over the next two years. After two years, we recommend you follow up with us yearly.
- These appointments are very important for your long-term success after surgery.
