Fit-N-Wise Bariatric Solutions

Mission
Our Program
Patient Education
Support Groups

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

MISSION
To provide the best medical and surgical care through a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary program with extensive education and support to help the people we serve lead longer, healthier lives. 

OUR PROGRAM
Fit-N-Wise Bariatric Solutions is dedicated to providing our patients with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to long-term weight loss.  We provide surgical, nutritional, psychological, exercise, and support groups to patients on an individualized basis.  Our program offers all of its services at one convenient location.  All hospital employees have received specialized instruction and training in the care and service to weight loss surgery patients. All staff that work closely with weight loss surgery patients undergo sensitivity training to support patients' medical and emotional needs.  Every patient will meet with a different weight loss specialist to be evaluated and counseled by on a one-to-one basis.  These specialists are dedicated to providing the best care to the Bariatric surgery and weight loss patients.  These specialists include:

• Bariatric Surgeon:  Our surgeons are dedicated to weight loss surgery.  They are members of various professional societies dedicated to providing excellence in patient care, such as American Society for Bariatric Surgery.  These surgeons offer the Lap Band and the Gastric Bypass, as well as revisions or corrections of previous weight loss surgeries.  Our surgeons direct their care and expertise to first improve the health of the obese patient followed by long term and worthwhile weight loss.  We recommend that our patients be ready to see their surgeons for at least 5 years after their surgery. 
• Bariatric Medicine Internist:  This in an internal medicine doctor who can meet patients who are not ready for surgery, but want and need the help of a physician dedicated to concentrate on weight loss.  This physician will take in to consideration other existing medical problems to determine the best way to produce weight loss and good health.  When possible medications may be prescribed as part of the weight loss plan.  The physician can refer the patient to other specialists in the Fit-N-Wise program to help as needed.  Visits with this specialist will help with the insurance company requirements of a medically supervised weight loss program. 
• Psychologist:  Our program has different psychologists available to perform initial mental health evaluations.  This is important to discover mental health conditions which may interfere with a patient’s ability to join in a weight loss program.  The psychologist may recommend further therapy that can be obtained with them, the patient’s physician or the patient’s therapists.  Most insurance companies demand a psychological evaluation before approving weight loss surgery and demand that it be part of every medical weight loss program.  The visit with the psychologist takes place after the education session described later in this section. 
• Dietitian:  Our Dietitian specializes in Bariatrics.  All patients will meet with our Dietitian to receive individualized counseling and education for the important changes they will make in their life.  A tailored diet plan is provided and explained.  The Dietitian is available for patients whose insurance demands a supervised diet plan prior to approving weight loss surgery.  Combined with the Bariatric Medicine Internist, a visit to our Dietitian sends a powerful message to the insurance company, that the patient has participated in a serious attempt to lose weight before choosing surgery.  In addition to pre-surgery visits, patients will also have access to a Dietitian during recovery in the hospital and post surgery support groups and appointments. 
• Exercise Physiologist:  This specialist has received extensive training to help patients of all walks, with different physical limitations to lose weight with tailored, supervised, progressive aerobic exercise programs.  Membership to the Fit-N-Wise Wellness Center will be necessary for local patients.  For patients who live far away, they can take their fitness program to their local fitness center.  This specialist makes sure that an exercise program is put together to avoid injury that can interfere with a patient’s health and successful weight loss. 

EDUCATION:
Our care does not begin or end with surgery.  The foundation of our successful program and what makes us unique is our dedication to patient education.  We help the patient learn the habits they must take on for a healthy life accompanied by weight loss.  The more the patient knows and understands what these changes are, the greater the chances for success.  We recommend that the patient meet with all our specialists.  We will give each patient printed material for them to read at home.  We expect that each patient will make this information a part of their daily life.  A specialized teaching session is provided for medical and surgical weight loss.

Surgical Education Session*: All patients interested in weight loss surgery must attend a 3 to5 hour education session.  This is NOT optional, it is mandatory for all patients, even if they have attended a session at another facility.  We guarantee you have not attended a session like this one. 
* This is not optional and is not covered by insurance.  A separate fee is necessary to cover the specialist’s time.  This fee can not be refunded.  Even if you do not receive surgery at our facility the information you receive at our education session can be used anywhere else.  It is useful information that can help you lose weight even without surgery.  Because of the extensive time of the different specialist and the printed materials, a fee must be collected at the time of making an appointment to see us. 

This education session covers a wide range of topics that will be extremely helpful to the patient.  All patients receive a Bariatric Surgery Information Book.  Our Bariatric Coordinator will lead off the session with an overview of what will be covered.  A description of the different weight loss surgeries is given with a detail of how they are different and the different results.  Problems that can be encountered after surgery are discussed and solutions to those problems are given.  The Bariatric Dietitian will follow with a detailed explanation of the Bariatric surgery diet.  Each patient will be evaluated by the Dietitian and individualized recommendations given.  The patient will have a diet diary to chart their diet changes and daily intake of food and liquids.  The Exercise Physiologist will finish off the meeting with a discussion of different exercise plans that are available to patients after surgery.  Each exercise plan is geared towards guiding each patient towards a daily, progressive aerobic exercise until the patient can accomplish one hour of continuous, uninterrupted aerobic exercise every day.  Each patient receives an exercise log where they will track their exercise efforts every day.  While this sounds scary, none of us at Fit-N-Wise Bariatric Solutions expects any patient to accomplish this on their first day.  The Exercise Physiologist will provide a time table and schedule to help guide folks along. 

Medical Education Session: All patients who chose a medical weight loss program will participate in an education session.  This will be directed by the Bariatric Dietitian and the Exercise Physiologist.  This session will take place after the initial visit with the Bariatric Internal Medicine specialist.  This session will emphasize diet changes and exercise changes to improve health and lose weight.  Each patient will receive an individualized, tailored diet and exercise plan.  The patient should expect to visit with the Internal Medicine specialist, the Dietitian, and the Exercise Physiologist once a month for at least six (6) months.  Some insurance plans require a one (1) year program. 

SUPPORT GROUPS:
Fit-N-Wise Bariatric Solutions has an outstanding support group system in place.  Every patient is encouraged to attend.  These sessions help the weight loss surgery patient find answers to problems they have not heard of or may encounter for the first time.  These meetings help review basic teachings received in the Education sessions.  They also allow patients who are further along in the process to help patients who are in their first week or months out of surgery.  Support groups meet monthly.  To see when the next support group meeting is click here.

Participation in our programs and meeting with our specialists may not be available for all patients.  This may be decided by your individual insurance and the benefits you have in your specific plan.  Every patient’s plan is different even if it is from the same company.  If your insurance does not cover one or another of our team members or specialists, we strongly urge you to consider paying for it on your own, to improve your chance for success.  No patient will be turned away if their insurance will not cover certain aspects of our program, but the patient will be responsible for payment for participation in any part of the program that is not covered by their insurance.  We can not and will not guarantee success as it relations to weight loss if any part of parts of our program is excluded. 

For online support groups click here.