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Gastric Band Surgeons 20 Top Tips For Selecting A Gastric Band Surgeon

By Dr Mark Yates

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 30Sep2009 Word count: 986 Viewed: 1363 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Given the sharp rise in the number of overweight and morbidly obese patients paying privately for laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding or gastric banding surgery, many prospective patients find the need to conduct their own research and due diligence when attempting to find the best qualified gastric banding surgeons.

In the UK typically one would seek advice and counsel from one's general practioner (GP) for any surgeon about to operate on them. However as most banding surgery is paid for privately your local GP is often not the best person to seek advice from.

Given that the band is being hailed as the Holy Grail of morbid obesity then it's no wonder that some economic experts are predicting a similar boom in band surgery as is currently being experienced in the laser eye treatment for short and badly sighted people.

Many overweight people considering laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding or gastric banding surgery are heading off to a hospital in Brussels for their band operation. The main reasons are that a main band surgeon is recognised globally as a pioneer in the delivery of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery. Many new band surgeons have recognised the significant increase in the number of private patient paying for a band operation. A number of these band surgeons are setting up their own private gastric banding surgery clinics in some of the poorer eastern European countries to capitalise on cheap medical facilities and even cheaper medical care.

The more medical fees and costs these band surgeons save, the more profit they retain from every patient paying for a private gastric band operation.

Needless to say any band surgeon considering this type of gastric surgery which is based primarily on maximising profits to the detriment of providing great medical care will no doubt be out of business very soon.

However these rogue operators are bound to materialise just as they have in every other boom of specialised privately paid for surgical procedures. One only has to consider the horror stories that plagued the liposuction, face lift, breast enhancement and botox sectors in their early days.

The band, and in particular laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery, is set to become the new Gold Rush of privately funded affordable weight loss surgical procedures.

As in any Gold Rush many cowboy operators prevail and it's especially difficult to ascertain the true status and qualifications of the new breed of band surgeons.

For the record, every gastric banding surgeon or collective body of gastric banding surgeons should be open and honest with you when you make your initial enquires.

Unfortunately much of the band surgery growth is being fuelled by unqualified staff working in the health and beauty sectors. They recognise the opportunity for taking a client referral fee for introducing patients to a gastric banding surgeon or gastric banding surgeons.

This again raises the question of whether these types of gastric banding surgeons are cutting corners in not paying for professional marketing expertise.

Consider the scenario of seeing an online Pay Per Click Google advertisement for band surgery. You contact the advertiser in the full expectation you will be dealing with a qualified medical expert.

However this is the Internet and you've actually contacted Sheila from a back street hairdressing salon in Brixton. When you ask for medical advice about laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery it's unlikely she has any medical qualifications stretching beyond applying a band aid to a patient's neck she has nicked with her scissors.

Alternatively you might be contacting Sharon who runs a fingernail parlour in Bradford. Her only interest is in receiving her commission from the gastric banding surgeon. Often one paid commission from a gastric banding surgeon can equate to a weeks' salary for someone like Sheila or Sharon, so it obviously keeps her happy.

The gastric banding surgeons are also happy because they have a number of none medically qualified sales people promoting their services at a fraction of the cost of employing a professional sales and marketing team.

We care about patients and clients. In order to address your concerns as a pre band operation patient, we thought we'd compile the following check list for conducting your research and due diligence into the selection of your band surgeon.

Due Diligence Criteria & 20 Top Tips For Selecting A Gastric Band Surgeon

1. For UK & European patients. Is he/she UK medical board registered?

2. Is he or she a full time laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgeon?

3. Does he/she operate in more than one hospital?

4. Does he/she operate internationally?

5. Can he/she provide patient testimonials?

6. Does he/she have a significantly high success rate?

7. Have his patients achieved a loss of 50% of their excess weight in 2 years or less?

8. Does he/she provide a private affordable service?

9. Does he/she provide top quality band patient aftercare?

10. Does he/she provide aftercare and band fills in major cities of different countries?

11. Does he/she only perform band surgery in modern state of the art hospitals?

12. Is he/she honest and transparent about the full costs of your band surgery?

13. Does he/she charge any hidden extra payments?

14. Does he/she offer a full pre laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery consultation?

15. Doe he/she have a full time laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding consultation surgery?

16. For UK & European patients. Does he/she speak good English?

17. Does he/she maintain good medical aftercare support specialists?

18. Does he/she provide excellent pre and post gastric surgery patient advice?

19. Do his/her post surgery patients recommend friends & family members for gastric band surgery?

20. Does he/she provide you with direct contact details for before and after your surgery?

Follow my due diligence suggestions above and you will seriously increase the probability factor in achieving a significant success in losing up to 50% of your excess weight in 2 years or less, by having yourlaparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery completed by a highly qualified and experienced gastric band surgeon.

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