Patient Information
Bariatric Surgery Patient Information
Dr. Van L. Wagner and our bariatric surgery team here in St. Louis has created a step-by-step process for our prospective patients to make your experience with us as easy and efficient as possible. Plus, we offer this helpful guide to our upcoming seminars, offered free to those considering weight loss surgery procedures such as LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding, REALIZE® Band, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and gastric sleeve surgery to combat morbid obesity and start living a healthier, and slimmer, lifestyle. Heart of America Bariatrics has been designated as a Bariatric Center of Excellence, signifying our commitment to keeping only the highest standard of care for our patients.
Step One – Free Educational Seminar
Please attend one of our free educational seminars. These informational sessions will help you understand the bariatric surgery process and which procedures may be right for you. They will also help you in understanding the dietary and lifestyle changes that will be necessary following surgery.
See the schedule and locations for our upcoming seminars, and please call (314) 221-8937 to sign up.
Step Two – Self-Education
There are a variety of websites with detailed information on weight loss surgery procedures. Knowledge of the basics of these procedures will help you know what to expect, and give you ideas of questions and concerns you may want to address once you meet with our board certified bariatric surgeon. Here are a few websites you may find useful:
- www.realizeband.com (Ethicon website)
- www.lapband.com (Allergan website)
- www.bariatricedge.com (Ethicon bariatric surgery website)
Contact our bariatric surgery center serving the St. Louis area for more information.
Step Three – Medical History Form
Please completely fill out our 6-page Medical History for Bariatric Surgery form, and fax or mail it to the address listed on the bottom of this page and on our Contact Us page. This will help us prepare for your consultation and get an early start on your initial medical evaluation.
Step four – Schedule a Consult with Dr. Van L. Wagner
Please schedule a consult with our board certified bariatric surgeon. The initial consult includes a complete history and physical examination; discussion of your weight loss surgery options and all aspects of the procedure you are considering; and insurance requirements and financial issues. This consultation typically lasts from 60 to 90 minutes.
Step Five – Schedule Surgery
Within a day or so after all of your insurance requirements have been received by our office, we will submit the surgery pre-determination letter. Once insurance approval is obtained, surgery is typically scheduled two-to-four weeks later. We will conduct pre-operative testing during this two-to-four week period.
If you have any questions or concerns, we are here to help. Please contact Heart of America Bariatrics today.