Bariatric
Surgery Program
The Bariatric Team
Our Program's Experience (as of 5/3/08)
Wait for first visit (after we receive your paperwork) - 6-9 months (sorry - working on it)
Gastric bypasses (since 1999) - 1000+
average length of hospital stay - 1.4 nights
30-day operative mortality - (5) 0.5%
Lap-Bands (since 2006) - 200+
average length of hospital stay - 1.1 nights
30-day operative mortality - (0) 0%
Program Manager
Barbara Hodges, RD, MPH
Support Staff - Our Administrative Associates
Wendy Briggs
Bethany Meacham
Our Surgeons
Our surgeons have done over 800 weight-loss operations, 99+% of them laparoscopically. They are involved in all aspects of patient evaluation and selection. They share long-term follow-up of all patients in the program. Dr. Wolff, Dr. Cobean or one of their partners at Casco Bay Surgery is always available in case of problems or emergencies. As much as possible, your operation and your appointments before and after surgery will be with one surgeon. They follow patients until three months after surgery but remain available forever when needed or requested. Your surgeon, along with our dietitians and therapists, must agree independently that a patient is appropriate and ready for surgery before a surgery date will be given.
He is board certified in General Surgery with additional fellowship training in Surgical Critical Care and is a member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS). His expertise is in laparoscopic surgery and GI endoscopy.
She is board certified in General Surgery with additional fellowship training in advanced laparoscopy and is a member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS). Her expertise is in laparoscopic surgery and GI endoscopy.
Our Nurses
Our nurses coordinate the detailed process of reviewing medical histories, gathering important health information, and obtaining past test results if these are needed. They coordinate office days to make sure appointments go as smoothly as possible. Our nurse are available by telephone Monday - Friday for questions and problems that arise after surgery. They handle most of the health-related questions themselves, involving the surgeons when the situation requires them.
Sharon Lepich, RN
Our Dietitians
Our senior dietitians evaluate each patient’s nutrition and weight history, typical daily food intake, and previous weight-loss attempts. They prepare patients for the changes they need to make in their eating habits after surgery. The dietitians are the team members you'll continue to meet with during your annual follow-up visits, but they are also available for support and advice between scheduled appointments. Our dietitians, along with our therapists and your surgeon, must agree independently that a patient is appropriate and ready for surgery before a surgery date will be given.
Barbara Corriveau, RD
Sarah Northrop, RD
Our Therapists
We work with Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) both at the Bariatric Center and in the Portland area. Psychosocial evaluation and follow-up meetings are an important part of the program. Having obesity surgery is a big step and requires a great deal of adjustment and life change. The therapists are here to help our patients deal with issues that may have led to their obesity and to help them begin developing positive coping skills and new behaviors that are vital to long-term success. They follow patients individually until three months after surgery but coordinate small support groups after that for patients who have been out of surgery for three months or longer. Our therapists, along with our dietitians and your surgeon, must agree independently that a patient is appropriate and ready for surgery before a surgery date will be given.
Ashley Weymouth, LCSW, Coordinating Therapist
Casco Bay Surgery Support Staff (207-761-6642)
Drs. Cobean and Wolff see their bariatric patients at the Bariatric Surgery Center, but their private offices are located next door at Casco Bay Surgery, a surgical practice of six sub-specialists and a separate support staff. Once patients are approved for surgery, the secretaries at Casco Bay Surgery schedule the operations. Separate billing also comes from this office.
Mindy Sides - Dr. Cobean's secretary
Hiring time again - Dr. Wolff's secretary
Claire Dyer - Office & Practice Manager
The
Bariatric Surgery Center
12 Andover Road
Portland, Maine 04102
(207)-761-5612
Toll-Free: (866)-268-9274
Fax: (207)-253-6073
These pages were created and are maintained by Casco Bay
Surgery, PA
Last updated 5/19/08