Ventura Advanced Surgical Associates’ surgical weight loss program utilizes an integrated approach focusing on long-term, successful and permanent weight loss in obese patients. Extensive bariatric education before, during, and after your surgery with our team of physicians, nurses and support staff is designed to optimize each and every patient’s long-term success.
As a patient, your first educational opportunity is to attend one of our free seminars. The wealth of information presented should help you determine whether you want to pursue weight loss surgery. If you think you are ready to take the next step, you need to do two things before making an appointment for an initial consultation. First, contact our Insurance Coordinator, Heather Jacobsen, to determine your coverage for surgery. Heather can be reached at <mailto:heather.jacobsen@drbillybariatrics.com> heather.jacobsen@drbillybariatrics.com or by voice mail at 805-676-9100 x118 or. Make sure you leave a message so she can return your call. The second thing you need to do is obtain a copy of our medical history and evaluation form. The form is available on our website under New Patient Forms. You may also have a copy mailed to you if requested.
Call our office to make an appointment for your initial consultation. The initial consultation is where you will learn about the multi-disciplinary, preoperative evaluation each patient undergoes. The workup includes medical, cardio-pulmonary, surgical and psychological evaluations as well as routine laboratory blood tests, X-ray examinations and nutritional education. Based on the results of these examinations some patients may be referred for a sleep study. Our goal is to provide the safest, most thorough possible evaluation prior to surgery to ensure the best possible conditions for your surgery.
As you approach your surgery date, you will attend our preoperative education class taught by one of our Certified Bariatric Nurses. At the class you will receive information regarding how to prepare for your surgery, hospital protocol and orientation, pre and postoperative dietary instruction including protein and vitamin intake, as well as some general expectation setting. While you are in the hospital one of our nurses will visit you and your family to review postoperative care and diet. We also offer an open forum postoperative education class for questions and answers from our Certified Bariatric Nurse regarding your postoperative life course.
After your surgery you will begin a course of postoperative clinical visits as you begin to lose weight. The number of visits will vary depending on which surgery you have. Regardless, you will soon be ready to start your exercise program. You may choose to start walking regularly or join a gym. A Registered Dietician is also available to help you with your post operative course. Along with being available to counsel on food choices and dietary modification, a Registered Dietician has studied with an endocrinologist to address how hormone-related syndromes can be treated with nutrition and supplements. These types of syndromes often go hand-in-hand with obesity.
Our patient support offerings are also available to help you progress towards your weight-loss goals. We offer up to four monthly Support Groups and one newly postop education class all led by a Bariatric Certified Nurse. In addition, patients may take advantage of our existing patients who offer their time to answer non-medical questions.
At Ventura Advanced Surgical Associates we focus on the health and needs of the whole patient. Our program is not just about weight loss, but wellness.
