Pathway To Surgery

  1. Educational Seminar

    • Congratulations, you've made an important decision to pursue Bariatric surgery!
    • Submit your Bariatric Sign-in Form and Seminar Survey to the Patient Advocate.
    • Complete the Insurance Verification Form and provide your insurance card or a copy to the Patient Advocate so that your benefits can be verified before your consult with the surgeon. You can fax the info the next day as well to 520-219-0565.

  2. Verifying Insurance Coverage

    • With the above documentation provided by you, we will contact your insurance company.
    • Your assigned Patient Advocate will call you to discuss your benefits and if necessary discuss patient financing or self-pay options.
    • Allow us to schedule your initial consultation when we confirm your benefits via phone. Most consultations are scheduled within three weeks of your seminar date.

  3. Consult & Clearances

    • Complete your new patient intake form found in your seminar packet prior to your initial consult.
    • Arrive early to your appointment to provide your intake form to our front office and complete any other necessary forms.
    • Meet your surgeon at consult to discuss which surgical procedure is right for you.
    • Meet your Patient Advocate at consult who will walk you through the clinical clearances process and the insurance or self-pay requirements.
    • Complete all clinical clearances prescribed during your initial consultation. Please request providers to send copies of evaluations & tests to SACMIS. We will contact you once ALL items are received.
      • Nutritional Evaluation
      • Psychological Evaluation
      • EGD or Upper GI
      • Patient financing approval if applicable
      • Other – Cardiac, sleep study, etc.
    • Complete any additional insurance requirements.
    • We will CALL you when we submit all of your documentation to your insurance for approval.

  4. Preparing for Surgery

    • Start changing your exercise habits and institute a low-calorie diet now to ensure your success after surgery.
    • Attend a support group session to make sure you have a strong support system before and after the big day.
    • If you are a self-pay patient, your Patient Advocate will CALL you to schedule your pre-operative visit, educational pre-op class and surgery date once all your clearances have been met.
    • If you are an insurance patient, our Patient Advocate will CALL you to schedule your pre-operative visit, educational pre-op class and surgery date once your insurance approval has been received.
    • Attend your educational pre-operative class with the NMC Bariatric Coordinator to understand more about your new lifestyle changes and dietary requirements. The class will be held at:
      Pre Procedural Screening
      6130 N. La Cholla La Cholla
      Medical Plaza, Suite #121
    • Attend your pre-op visit with the surgeon for final surgical clearance and instructions. Your first follow-up visit will be scheduled at this time.
    • Self-pay payment including financing will be processed at your pre-op visit. Payment to NMC & SAA must be made within 48 hrs of surgery.
    • Schedule your pre-admission testing.

  5. After the Surgery...

    • Follow all instructions given by our staff to ensure a safe and successful outcome.
    • You will be contacted by the NMC Bariatric Coordinator in the days following your surgery.
    • You are also encouraged to call our office at 219-8690 for non-urgent medical concerns. If you are experiencing issues of an urgent nature, please proceed to the ER or call 911. Please have the ER contact our office to notify the surgeon.
    • Attend all scheduled follow up visits. Compliance with our follow up regimen is critical to long-term weight loss success. You are a patient for life!
    • Get involved in our regularly scheduled support groups to stay updated on post-operative nutrition tips and exercise ideas.
    • Tell us about your experience with our program. Patient satisfaction is our #1 priority and we want to hear from you! We encourage you to contact our Practice Administrator, Amy Panebianco at amy@tucsonlaparoscopy.com or 219-8690 ext 303 to share feedback about your experience.

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For a more detailed look at these steps with timeline, please download the following: