I don't know guy's...I need Help.

[HalloweenBaby24 447]

Just as I'm becoming comfortable with my decision to get the sleeve I find negative comments on my Surgeon, One including DEATH and the family won the lawsuit!

I looked for reviews before and couldn't find anything, So i worded my question different tonight in Google and I came up with a pretty significant list of negative reviews that make me really nervous.I mean should I be concerned about reviews from online?, Don't most Drs and Surgeons have negative reviews and malpractice claims?

I don't know what to do guy's. I thought I had this all figured out and now I'm not too sure...

http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Alexander_Abkin/reviews

[Pepper123 320]

Oy Vey wow…can't help u there good luck!!!!

[snowkitten 371]

I'm not sure about all surgeons but mine didn't have any bad reviews.

Maybe talk to him about your concerns?

[HalloweenBaby24 447]

@@snowkitten Unfortunately he is very hard to get an appointment with and I've tried already for this month, He has nothing.

My surgery is scheduled for September 8th and that's the next time I'll see him in person, Only met him once before...

[Miss Mac 6,261]

Is this the only bariatric surgeon in your area that your insurance will cover? If your insurance has other providers, you should probably check around on some others....Maybe at a teaching hospital. My surgeon developed the bariatric program at the Cleveland Clinic, and then came to the Loyola University Medical Center, where my primary had referred me. He developed the bariatric program at Loyola and teaches both bariatric and robotic surgery. By all means, look for someone with positive credentials and plenty of experience in bariatric medicine. Could your primary physician recommend someone else?

[HalloweenBaby24 447]

@@Miss Mac This specific surgeon is well known in my part of NJ as the #1 Bariatric Surgeon and he was the only one my Health Insurance had on record as a "Center Of Excellence" in the area.

http://www.bariatricsurgeonnj.com/

I don't even know where to go from here..

[I'mDoingIt! 88]

he was my friend's doctor and she loved him. she is doing great and is the reason i went ahead with the surgery. If you can't get in to see him, maybe you can speak to him over the phone. good luck!

[4me4them 381]

Can you tell how old the comments are? Maybe they are from when he was just starting?

[HalloweenBaby24 447]

@@4me4them The oldest is from 2008 and the most recent negative review was from a month ago.

If you click on the link provided you should be able to read through them..

[Arlene G 31]

New person here. This doctor CANNOT be the only choice you have. How could he be the only surgeon your insurance will cover with so many negative reviews. And a lawsuit for malpractice. There HAVE to be other options. Bring up his ratings with the insurance company. I know when I had a problem with a doctor I would call my insurance company and they would listen and at least research. There have got to be more options than this jerk.

[Fixerupper 335]

If your surgeon is one of the busiest in your area then it could just logically make sense that he had more negative reviews. Is It possible that he just has more reviews in general? Also remember that people take more time to post negative reviews than positive ones.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Hmmm ... my surgeon's online ratings certainly don't look like these.

That's a lot of smoke.

[SD Kelly 17]

I wouldn't put a lot of thought into it. I would go by my experience with the doctor. It all depends on how you feel about the doctor and your experience with him.

[HalloweenBaby24 447]

Well I haven't had much experience with him other then meeting him once at the consultation appointment.

And I'll see him once more the day of surgery.

[BitterSweet* 835]

@@HalloweenBaby24, I followed the links and read the reviews. I can definitely understand your concerns. I agree with Ann that there's a lot of smoke there. I really can't advise you on what to do, but I'll share my opinion.

Malpractice suits are very difficult to win because all doctors make mistakes in every setting you can think of. But wrongdoing / mistakes do not make a lawsuit. There must be identifiable wrongdoing that caused damage, either through death or permanent disability. You can't win a malpractice lawsuit without both factors being present.

So, if we are to believe the post about this man's wife dying as a result of something this bariatric surgeon did, there had to be a very serious breach of standard of care that was clear, and directly attributable to him. It is likely that the surgeon settled out of court; if not, the court records (indictment etc) are public and accessible. I would start digging.

Too many people classify him as "arrogant" so I am inclined to believe that; however, terrible bedside manners have nothing to do with a surgeon's skills; it just makes them an @ss.

You have a right to know about any complaints and or malpractice suits that have been lodged against this surgeon. Access this information through the medical licensing boards for your state; it is public information and will probably help you to come to a decision.

I truly wish the best for you, and bravo for continuing to research everything even though you already have a surgery date.