Weight Loss Surgery is a very emotional and life changing decision. It can also be overwhelming to stay on top of all the appointments that are required to get to surgery. That is why at Eviva we take the wheel at first. We have a team of people that focus on getting you to surgery and keep you on track, so you don’t have to.
Getting to surgery depends on many different factors including the procedure type, your insurance, your health, and appointment availability. For example, the timeline for a self pay ESG is typically much shorter than an insurance gastric bypass. The below timeline is intended to be a general overview of items that you may encounter on your journey.
Meet one on one with one of our amazing surgeons. This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have and to find out if surgery is a good option for you.
After your consultation, you will meet with one of our Bariatric Pathway Coordinators. They will go over your specific insurance benefits as well as any requirements that you may need to complete prior to scheduling surgery. You will also go over pricing for either self-pay or with insurance.
(Same day as consultation)The nutrition assessment will be conducted by a bariatrician, nurse practitioner or registered dietitian specializing in bariatric surgery. The purpose of the nutrition assessment is to get a baseline of your eating patterns and weight history and to educate you on the process of nutritional success before, after, and in the long term following your bariatric surgery.
(Required for both self-pay and insurance)The psychological evaluation is a fundamental requirement for all bariatric surgical patients. We recognize that the choice to have bariatric surgery is an important one that can affect patients both physically and emotionally. The need to identify any obstacles or issues that may be affecting a patient’s emotional health is critical to a successful outcome for bariatric surgery.
(Required for both self-pay and insurance)We will generate a lab order for you to take to the lab company of your choice. Using Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp is typically the fastest at sending us results.
(Required for both self-pay and insurance)We will generate an electrocardiogram order for you to take to your primary care provider. We are not currently doing EKGs in our clinic, but this may change as we begin to do more and more in person clinic visits.
(If required by surgeon)Biometric testing using the BodPod® to determine body composition and resting metabolic rate are completed to accurately track physiological changes and tailor your dietary and exercise prescription accordingly.
(Required for both self-pay and insurance)To determine whether or not you have obstructive sleep apnea, your surgeon may order a sleep study. Once your sleep study is complete, our sleep technicians will have your study interpreted and a provider will go over your results. If you test positive for OSA, you may be required to be set up on a CPAP device.
(If required by surgeon)To rule out a Hiatal Hernia, Barrett's Esophagus, H-pylori or other abnormalities of your esophagus and stomach, your surgeon may require an EGD prior to your surgery.
(If required by surgeon)Some insurances require you to complete a medically supervised diet prior to surgery. Typically this involves seeing a bariatrician, nurse practitioner or registered dietitian a handful of times over a couple of months. These diets vary between insurances, but your specific requirements will be gone over with you by your bariatric pathway coordinator.
(If required by insurance)This may include weight histories, cardiology histories, etc. from outside providers.
Once all goals have been completed, and all medical records have been collected, we will submit an insurance pre-authorization. Every insurance company has different protocols. It can take between 2-6 weeks depending on the insurance company. Eviva has no control on the length of time it takes to obtain an approval.
(If required by insurance)Depending on how long it has been since you started on your path to surgery, lab work, EKG and other items may have to be re-tested to verify any changes in your health.
(If required by insurance)Once all clinical requirements and insurance approvals have been completed, our surgical and anesthesia team will review your case. Once they have given the final approval, you will be ready to schedule your surgery!
When scheduling a Surgery Date with our scheduler you will also schedule your:
Will take place within 30 days prior to your surgery date. It is the final clinic appointment prior to surgery. Ideally your support person will be a part of this appointment. You will review any last-minute questions, and discuss your surgery and recovery process. Prescriptions will also be given at this appointment so you can have them filled and ready for surgery ahead of time.
Please watch this video before your Pre-op appointment:
Finally, the day has come! Congratulations on getting this far, the fun part of your journey is just beginning!
