Would like to know which hospitals gets glowing reviews from everyone and which ones maybe not so great. Have read that some are located in tiny strip malls and not the best to go for surgeries. Some others are regular hospitals with all the services offered if needed.......ER rooms, cardiac specialists, full services of everything all large hospitals offer. Some are clinics that specialize in only wt loss surgery. How do you choose?

The hospital I'm having my surgery at (on Monday) is "designated by the American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program as an Active MBSAQIP Center." It also has a five-star rating and an excellence award on HealthGrades. The hospital itself is almost new, beautiful, and it's ranked in the top 10 percent nationally for safety. My surgeon is the head of the department and people rave about him. (He's also quite cute!)

Okay, the last thing wasn't a factor, just a nice bonus :-)

You don't say what location you are considering--are you looking at Mexico as a possibility? There are definitely good reports by many who have been there--keep checking this site, and you'll see what people have to say.

I had surgery at Hospitale Angeles in Tijuana earlier this year and was very happy with the high level of services and medical care, and my surgeon, Dr. Ramos Kelly.

I had surgery at a Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery. These Centers of Excellence are available in many states. The Centers of Excellence provide a complete support for the surgery. There are many components that require a range of specialist beyond just a surgeon who specializes in Bariatric Surgery. They include nutritionist, psychologists, a hospital that specializes in bariatric surgery, staff that work insurance issues, pre-op testing, weight loss and exercise programs, bariatric surgery support group meetings, five years of post-op follow-ups. It is like a "full meal deal", no pun intended.

3 hours ago, James Marusek said:

I had surgery at a Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery. These Centers of Excellence are available in many states. The Centers of Excellence provide a complete support for the surgery. There are many components that require a range of specialist beyond just a surgeon who specializes in Bariatric Surgery. They include nutritionist, psychologists, a hospital that specializes in bariatric surgery, staff that work insurance issues, pre-op testing, weight loss and exercise programs, bariatric surgery support group meetings, five years of post-op follow-ups. It is like a "full meal deal", no pun intended.

Just something worth pointing out about this. But "other" surgeons can do bariatric cases at a center of excellence. For example at my hospital there's a few surgeons who do 95% of the cases and do all the things thst allow us to be a center of excellence.

Then there's other surgeons who can come here and do 3 bariatric cases a year and still be labeled under that umbrella of bariatric center of excellence without having quite the same support system.

It's something to be careful about

What Mhy12784 posted is so totally true. I went to a Surgeon that had all of the credentials for Excellence. But he didn't have much personality at all. He may have been a great surgeon but you need to make sure that they have all of the follow-up programs too. I ended up leaving his practice for many things that he did to myself and my hubby. I also signed up for him to get all of my journey for 5 years. Needles to say that didn't give him much. Just a word to the wise here just because they have the seal of EXCELLENCE does not mean they are up to par. After it was all done I found out that he makes more $$ for the actual surgery's. Not so much with the follow ups. I was told that the insurance pays a blanketed amount for everything which is supposed cover your follow ups but he charged my hubby every time he seen him after his mess up with his WLS. So just research every thing you can before you go.

The hospital I'm having my surgery at (on Monday) is "designated by the American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program as an Active MBSAQIP Center." It also has a five-star rating and an excellence award on HealthGrades. The hospital itself is almost new, beautiful, and it's ranked in the top 10 percent nationally for safety. My surgeon is the head of the department and people rave about him. (He's also quite cute!)
Okay, the last thing wasn't a factor, just a nice bonus :-)
You don't say what location you are considering--are you looking at Mexico as a possibility? There are definitely good reports by many who have been there--keep checking this site, and you'll see what people have to say.

How did your surgery go? Would you recommend your dr and facility?

I went to Star Medica through Be LiteWeight. This is in Juarez and is the hosital the U.S. embassy uses for American employees. It's a full service hospital with the second floor dedicated to American patients. The doctor spoke perfect English and explained everything to me. They kept me two nights and three days - no hotels or anything - you stay in the hospital the whole time. Very happy with my experience.

I went to Hospital Angles through Beliteweight. We probably shared the same medical team. The doctors along with 60% of the staff spoke great nearly perfect English, but you will encounter a few of the support staff that speaks broken or no English. I had the greatest experience, in and out with very little pain. Once I arrived did the testing, x-rays, etc., and within 3 hour upon arrival the procedure happened and went home shortly after. Only complaint was ALWAYS BOOK YOUR FLIGHT FOR DAYTIME FLIGHTS! I discovered that El Paso regional airport is a daytime flight airport only. I slept at Fort Worth airport and at O'Hare in Chicago, not good after having the procedure.

If anyone has any questions I would be happy to discuss everything with them.

My hubby had his WLS thru BeLiteWeight, our experience wasn't quite as great as your experience. We also went to Juarez Mexico. Must not have been the same Hospital!! Our driver took us to the wrong Hospital. LOL Most of the staff didn't know much English even down to the little Cafeteria. Which we were told was a big place. NOT!! BeLite told us that because he didn't have the RNY and that is what we had paid for. We didn't even get the amount back that they had promised. Our trip was not great!! Never would we travel outside of the USA again. Wait...I might be tempted to go thru BariatricPal Mexico Service. Oh, how we have wished that he could have gone there. Because BeLite charged more...he thought they would be a better service!! You know the old saying "You get what you pay for"!! Not so true in this case. Sorry, to complain so much but people should go into things with their eyes wide open!!

Belite had everything planned out in my itinerary...im sorry you had issues.

The hospital I'm having my surgery at (on Monday) is "designated by the American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program as an Active MBSAQIP Center." It also has a five-star rating and an excellence award on HealthGrades. The hospital itself is almost new, beautiful, and it's ranked in the top 10 percent nationally for safety. My surgeon is the head of the department and people rave about him. (He's also quite cute!)
Okay, the last thing wasn't a factor, just a nice bonus :-)
You don't say what location you are considering--are you looking at Mexico as a possibility? There are definitely good reports by many who have been there--keep checking this site, and you'll see what people have to say.

Who is your dr and facility?
How’d surgery go? Were you happy with the facility & service?

2 hours ago, depressed_bandster said:

Who is your dr and facility?
How’d surgery go? Were you happy with the facility & service?

Dr. VILLARREAL, I went through BealiteWeight, and was scheduled at Hospital Angeles in Juarez. It was a great medical facility. It looked like a 5 star hotel rather than a hospital. They make your safety their first priority. This facility is US embassy approved and it is a private medical center so they are for profit so paying patients come first, security is outstanding. The staff will go out of their way to make you confortable, language barriers are there but manageable. I have nothing but great things to say about my experience.