I am located in Southern Maryland. I am just beginning the investigation process. Tomorrow I am attending my first weight loss seminar in Fairfax, VA. My wife and I are driving 68 miles (that's at least a 90 minute drive in our traffic) to Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. I am planning to look at some other hospitals in the area but am looking for suggestions. Where did you go or are you going in the Maryland/DC/Northern VA area? Thanks for your input. Have a great day!

"And you thought you were a newbie."

My surgery is scheduled for Oct 28th at Fair Oaks. I know 4 others who also had surgery there and of course everyone at my doctor's support group. It is Center of Excellence.

But there are several others in the area, including GWU, Georgetown U and Faifax H. to name a few. At GWU it will take a little longer to get scheduled as they are very busy. About 3 months once you complete all your paperwork for insurance

(nutritionist visits for insurance) and and you have to see their nutritionist. At Fair Oaks depending on the doctor it may be as early as one month if your schedule is flexible.

Thanks Beni! I will look into those and another I heard about, Shady Grove which is 71 miles away. I hate going so far but the odds are better at a COE and they are not close to me. Almost exactly a month to go for you. Great luck and keep us posted on how it goes!

Good luck to you and your decision.

I am planning on having my surgery at Sibley Hospital (submitting paper work to insurance on Oct 1). The doctor is very good (Brian Long) and it is a one stop shop with a Nutritionist (who has gone WLS as well and provides excellent advise), Support Groups, Physical Trainer, Psych Eval, Gastro Doc, Lab/Test and Surgeon all available at the hospital. I think I looked at George Washington or Georgetown and you had to book your own nutritionist separately etc. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of going to several different places -- it stresses me out lol.

Edited September 28, 201411 yr by bluedreams86

Hello and thanks bluedreams86. I didn't see that hospital on the list of Center of Excellence list I got so I will have to check them out. I am planning to have an initial consultation with Dr Maozzez this Friday at Inova but I have not decided if I will stick with that group yet. The seminar answered some questions my wife and I had so that helped.

Good luck with your insurance and let us know what happens.

Dr Maozzez I believe works out of Fair Oaks Hospital ( he may work at other hospitals as well). But the upshot is my surgery is at Fair Oaks Oct 28th and they are a Center of Excellence. By the way some insurances require a Center of Excellence for approval. At least that's what I have been told on the bords but I have not fact checked.

Hello and thanks bluedreams86. I didn't see that hospital on the list of Center of Excellence list I got so I will have to check them out. I am planning to have an initial consultation with Dr Maozzez this Friday at Inova but I have not decided if I will stick with that group yet. The seminar answered some questions my wife and I had so that helped.

Good luck with your insurance and let us know what happens.

Actually, I wondered the same thing and forgot to ask them today, darn it. Some insurances require a center of excellence. It's probably because it's a smaller program and he is the only surgeon. I'm interested to know what doesn't qualify them. So far they've been great. We will see after surgery! lol

I live in Frederick County MD. I had my surgery at Fair Oaks. Great experience. I had a dozen options within an hours drive including DC and Baltimore.

Virginia hospital center in Arlington. Dr james mayes

I had my surgery at GW University Hospital in DC. I was a band to bypass so my insurance only required 1 nutrition visit along with my psych eval. They have a nutritionist as a part of their program (and she did my session over the phone!) but I had to get the psych eval done on my own. Called September 2012 to schedule my first appt and was given a date in December 2012 and everything was submitted for approval by March/April 2013. My surgery was in June 2013. Love my surgeon Dr. Lin and I love his NP (who I dealt with most of the time). The nursing staff was also great during my hospital stay.

I'm just beginning the pre op process at inova fair oaks so far they've been. Dry professional and very busy! Going thru all the pre op hurdles

Moltoguy- did you have your surgery yet? I had mine a year ago. I had a great experience at Fair Oaks. I live over an hour away in Frederick CO MD. It was worth it.

Hello Amy,

Alas I am still in the 3 month pre-op phase of getting all my tests through what is proving to be a somewhat confusing process. I had my endoscopy on 3/31 and did an 'online' pysch eval on 4/2. What floors me is I called IMG bariatrics and was told it will take 4-6 weeks for the pysch results! Seems like a very long wait that was a pretty straightforward online survey not to mention the $200+ fee!

I am also still waiting on the endoscopy results. I will be calling the office on that next week.

On the good side I got my cardiac clearance yesterday and I started making major diet changes at the beginning of April. So far I'm down 20 lbs.

I figure I need to lose another 15-20 lbs. before my surgery date (whenever that is). I am anxious to get everything on the checklist completed and have my second apt with the nutritionist in about a week and the last one in early May. I was wondering if in your experience do they submit a 'package' to the insurance company for approval prior to scheduling? Do you know how long that process takes form when they send it to the insurance?

I'll be attending a support group meeting on Monday so I hope I can get answers from my fellow patients then. Congratulations on the success of your surgery!

My surgery was at INOVA Fair Oaks last month. The staff there is excellent. I was wanting for nothing during my stay.

F4T-TRAP that is good to hear. I had to put off my surgery for a while after my Psych eval put the brakes on but I am scheduled for 6 October at Fair Oaks.