Choosing the right bariatric surgeon can increase your chances of success with weight loss surgery.

What do you think is the most important factor when choosing a surgeon?

Hmm, I think you basically hit my four major criteria in that poll. I would have an easier time saying which of those was least important to me, honestly. I wouldn't choose a surgeon that didn't meet 1, 2 or 4, so they're equally important. 3 is important, but I wouldn't necessarily rule out a surgeon for whom I couldn't find reviews or get personal recommendations, as long as the other three criteria were met.

I think #1 should be: How many of the surgeon's patients survived?

I first started with those surgeons that are in facilities deemed as a 'Center for Excellence'. That left me with two centers in my area. My next criteria was how comfortable I was with the staff. Were they helpful at answering my questions? Were the comfortable with me calling them out of the blue with questions? Were they patient? Were they knowledgeable about the insurance process?

Those two things helped me decide between the two centers. I chose a center that was farther away; however, the staff was so friendly and actually cared about me as a person. They seemed just as interested as me about my long term success. The other center? I felt like just another patient. I didn't like that feeling.

I am from TX but was living in Wisconsin when I decided to have surgery. I knew I wanted to come 'home' to have surgery. I went to my PCP 'up there' to let her know my plans and see what she had to say. She gave me two thumbs up and her only advice was 'Find a Center of Excellence physician'. So that is where I started. I narrowed it down to two doctors here in Dallas and ended up going with the one that had been doing it longer. It didn't hurt that he'd been voted a 'Top Doc' in D Magazine by his peers for seventeen years. He did the 'size' (32 French Bougie) I was hoping for.....all in all, I found the perfect doctor for ME. I'd use him again.

I think it is finding a center of excellence. I am lucky to have two of them close to me. I was sleeved in November 2012 at centennial bin nashville tn and love going in for my appts. They are so awesome and having everyone (nutritionist, exercise physiologist and surgeon all in the same bldg is great!!

My insurance required that I go to a Center for Excellence, so that only gave me two options. I think all of your options were things I considered in my decision, but ultimately I have to say I went with my gut. What sold me, more than anything, was the video I saw of my surgeon. His compassion and care for the work he did was so evident in that video it reduced me to tears because I knew I had found someone who understood - really understood - the complexity of morbid obesity.

I was not disappointed when I went to my first visit. This is the first physician I've seen since the age of 10 who did not denigrate me, lecture me or treat me as sub-human. His staff was equally compassionate and professional and the hospital was truly amazing in their friendliness and care of me during my stay. I do not regret my decision one iota.