My cousin and I found out that the closest hospital and surgeon for the lapband is about 20 min from our house! So we went to the seminar and support group, we are waiting to hear back from the surgeon's office. I saw my doctor and got my referrals. However, when my cousin went to see her doctor to get referrals he told her he refuses to give her a referral to Southern Maine Medical Center of Excellence because he has had patients with complications from that hospital after having that surgery. He told her that he will only give her a referral to Tufts Hospital in Boston! That is 2 hours away! Granted the surgeons there may be more experienced and they may also have better after care but they are the largest hospital in New England, they should have all of these things. SMMC in Maine, the surgeon has done over 200 surgeries and he has been a surgeon for 14 years. He also graduated from the #14 out of 200 top rated colleges in the U.S. He is Board Certified. He doesn't have any misconducts reported.

I am confused as to whether I should go to SMMC or make the extra effort to go all the way to Boston everytime I need a fill, dietician, or medical assistance?

Does anyone have any ideas?

My understanding was that if a surgical center is designated as a Center of Excellence that it must have lower than average complication rates. At the seminar I attended they actually presented their complication rates for the surgeries that they perform, if your surgical group didn't give theirs maybe you could request them and then compare them to the hospital in Boston?

If they are a center of excellence, I'd feel pretty good about going there.

teri

I know that you are frustrated, but I wouldn't judge a book by it's cover. If you have heard from other physicians that this doctor has had problems, go with it. Kind of like, If these walls could talk, the things that they would say. If you have a godd referral, make the trip. You never know if 2 extra driving hours could save you in the long run.