This is an article we found in a Blog.

Choosing a Bariatric Surgeon

Avoid choosing a doctor that nobody has heard of before. There is little need to do that. Why take the risk? Doctors throughout the world have discovered that bariatric surgery has the potential to be extremely profitable. Many physicians are getting in the business, so there are a lot of inexperienced surgeons around. You ONLY want someone who is very experienced. After a bariatric surgeon has done around 250 sleeves they are typically very confident in the procedure and aftercare. By that time they have seen every strange and bizarre anatomical problem, every odd issue that happens under fluoroscope, etc. So you want to find someone that has done at least 250 sleeve surgeries.

Now, does that mean that someone who has done 500 sleeves is better than someone that has done 250 sleeves? Not exactly. One way to think about it: were you any better at washing dishes the 250th time you did the task vs. the 500th time? That's probably not so. Either you get it or you don't. The same concept applies here.

FACS (Fellow of the American College of Surgeons)

If you do not know how to verify licensing, credentials, education, history, etc., your best bet is to choose a doctor that is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. It takes about 8 months for the American College of Surgeons to do their background investigation of a doctor. If they have "FACS" behind their name then they must exceed the requirements for a US physician. Don't bank on what you are told by the coordinators, if they say the doctor is FACS then verify it for yourself. Go to Welcome to the American College of Surgeons and obtain the (800) number from their website and call. Ask them if it is true the doctor you are researching is indeed a Fellow. You can search on their website but their website is often times hard to navigate. It's easier to call them and obtain the information over the phone.

Please note: There are doctors that claim to be FACS and they are not. They are banking that you will not verify this information. Do not take the office staff or MD's word for it that they are FaCS, go to their website and verify for yourself. That website is:

www.FACS.org

If you are unsure call the (800) and ask the FACS staff, they will assist you.

Text from Wassabublebutt blog.

Certified Bariatric Surgeon
Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Duodenal Switch Procedure
Gastric Bypass Surgery

This is an article we found in a Blog.

Things to research when you are thinking in having weight loss surgery.
Start with the medical licensing board/bureau in your state. There you can see if the doctor's license is current and in good standing. You can see if the doctor has had any disciplinary action taken against him/her in recent years. In many states, you can see where the doctor went to medical school and how long he/she has been licensed to practice in your state.

Google is also a good tool. Type in your doctor's name and state to see what comes up. Then type in your doctor's name and one of these key search words:

• Lawsuits
• Malpractice
• Complaints
• Disciplinary action
• Court
• Reviews

For Mexican surgeons the link is:

http://www.cmcgac.org.mx/cgi-bin/DirectorioMedicos

To see if that surgeon is a member of the Mexican College of Bariatric Surgeons use this link:

http://www.cmco.org.mx/?q=contact

To verify that a doctor in Mexico is a licensed physician you need his license number and you enter it on this website and it will tell you who the license belongs to:

http://www.cedulaprofesional.sep.gob.mx:7057/cedula/CntConsultaVisitas

Surgery in Mexico is handled a bit differently than it is in the United States. In the US, you will receive a bill from each physician: the surgeon, anesthesiologist, internal medicine doctor, assistant surgeon, radiologist, etc. That is not how it works in Mexico. In Mexico you pay the surgeon for a "package" Gastric Sleeve procedure. He pays all the other doctors.

In the US (for example) the anesthesiologists contract with the hospital and their agreements are with the hospital, not the surgeon. The surgeon does not always get to hand pick the doctor putting you to sleep. People tend to assume the most important doctor in the operating room is the surgeon. This is not so. It's the anesthesiologist that keeps you alive during surgery. He is focusing on your breathing, your circulation, your heart, everything. The surgeon is focused on one thing, the surgery. In this case I tend to agree with the way Mexico does things. Do you want the surgeon you trust to pick the anesthesiologist or the hospital's administrative contract folks, the folks paid to get the best deals? The surgeon is responsible for your surgery overall, he wants you to have the best person putting you to sleep. His reputation depends on it. His reputation means his entire career. Without a good reputation they have nothing. So, in Mexico the surgeon hires the anesthesiologist, not the hospital contract office. This is an example of why it is a "package" cost in Mexico vs. individual bills in the US from all the various medical providers.

Text from Wassabublebutt blog. 

Certified Bariatric Surgeon
Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Duodenal Switch Procedure
Gastric Bypass Surgery