In order to achieve the best results, weight loss surgery must be part of a comprehensive weight loss program dedicated to achieving a healthy lifestyle. Our program is designed to prepare you for surgery, educate you about the surgical options available, offer the safest, most effective operations, and provide you with all the tools you will need after surgery to get the best results possible.

Health Questionnaire

In order to get to know you better, we ask that you fill out or Health Questionnaire. Please print the Health Questionnaire, and bring a completed copy with you to your informational session.

After we have reviewed your health questionnaire, you have attended an information session, and your insurance requirements have been confirmed, our program coordinator will schedule you for an initial consultation.

Initial Consultation:

All patients are required to pay a program access fee. This fee is nonrefundable and depending on your insurance policy, you are subject to co-pays, deductibles and non-coverage. This fee covers the following services:

• An initial consultation by a registered dietitian
• A group nutrition class to discuss eating habits after surgery (support group)
• Dietitian readily available
• A consultation with a psychologist specializing in the care of bariatric patients
• Access to weekly support group meetings facilitated by a psychologist
• Assistance with obtaining insurance approval

At your first visit to the Bariatric Surgery clinic you will meet with our registered dietitian. She will review your diet history, define your eating habits, and design a personalized diet plan.

The majority of patients will need to complete a period of physician supervised dieting. We will communicate your diet and exercise plan to your physician and provide them with forms used to document your progress. Correct documentation of the exercise plan is essential to getting insurance approval for your procedure. We recommend that you provide your supervising physician a copy of our form for every month of required supervised diet.

Once you have completed half of the dieting period, you will return to visit with a psychologist. At this visit you will review your weight history, your motivation for pursuing weight loss surgery and will start developing strategies to insure your success after surgery.

It is required to attend at least one support group session before surgery.

At the completion of your physician supervised diet program, the Bariatric Program Coordinator will review your insurance requirements and apply for approval for surgery. Once we have received approval from your insurance company, a surgical consultation will be scheduled.

Surgical Consultation

The bariatric surgeon will review the surgical options available to you. We routinely perform three primary weight loss operations — laparoscopic gastric bypass and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Once you and your surgeon have decided on the right operation for you, you will complete routine lab tests a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram. You will also complete an assessment for sleep apnea. Other testing may be required based on your medical condition. During your pre-operative planning, we will review your post-operative diet. All patients are required to sign a patient contract prior to surgery. 

In The Hospital

Patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery, sleeve gastrectomy, or revision surgery will spend one to three days in the hospital. The day after surgery, you will receive an X-ray and will begin a low-carbohydrate liquid diet. Your surgeon, bariatric nurse practitioner and dietitian will meet with you before going home to review discharge plans..

After Surgery Follow-Up

Successful bariatric surgery demands a lifetime of follow-up. We have a structured two-year program  to help you maximize weight loss following your surgery. Lifetime follow-up is required.

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass

• Two-week post-operative checkup
• Follow-up at three months and yearly will include assessment by the surgeon and dietitian. Routine Laboratory test are performed.

Patients are asked to be seen at least once yearly for life, including vitamin screen (blood test). Other appointments may be required as determined by your surgeon.

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

• Two-week post-operative checkup
• Follow-up at three months and yearly will include assessment by the surgeon and dietitian.

Patients are asked to be seen at least once yearly for life, including vitamin screen (blood test). Other appointments may be required as determined by your surgeon.

Bariatric Surgery Revisions

Revisions may be performed for patients who have received previous weight reduction operations either laparoscopy or incision, and have had problems related to complications of those operations and/or inadequate weight loss. To learn more about bariatric surgery revisions, please contact Samantha Hoselton, bariatric coordinator, at (816) 271-6155.

For more information, please call Mosaic Life Care at St. Joseph - Bariatric Care at (816) 271-6155.

Contact Us

For more information, please call (816) 271-6155.

You can also send us a message online.