A world renowned bariatric surgeon with more than 20 years’ experience, Dr. Provost is the Medical Director of the Bariatric Center at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He is also Chairman of SRC’s Bariatric Surgery Review Committee and Associate Editor of Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.

Board members serve staggered three-year terms with SRC, which created the center of excellence programs for bariatric surgery and developed the Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database (BOLD).

“Each Board member provides unique perspectives and expertise,” said Dr. Neil Hutcher, Chairman of the SRC Board of Directors and a bariatric surgeon at Commonwealth Surgeons in Richmond, Virginia. “Our Board has the experience necessary to help guide SRC’s growth and strengthen our ability to set the global standard for bariatric and metabolic surgical excellence.”

To earn the Bariatric Center of Excellence designation, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton had to pass a series of thorough site inspections, during which all aspects of the program’s surgical processes were closely examined, and pass rigorous evaluations concerning data on health outcomes of the hospital’s bariatric patients. The rigorous standards with which Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence must comply are established by the non-profit Surgical Review Corporation (SRC). Fewer than 400 hospitals and freestanding outpatient facilities nationwide have been designated Centers of Excellence.

“The recent designation confirms the hospital’s commitment to providing the highest level of care to patients undergoing weight loss surgery,” says David Provost, M.D., F.A.C.S., medical director of the Bariatric Surgery Center at the Denton hospital. He adds, “The designation also provides local access for bariatric surgery to Medicare beneficiaries, and offers multiple options to all patients considering weight loss surgery, including laparascopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparscopic adjustable gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy, as well as revisional, complicated and high-risk procedures.”

The Bariatric Surgery Center at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton provides comprehensive care for patients undergoing weight loss surgery in Denton, and Dr. David Provost is recognized as one of the nation’s leading bariatric experts. Dr. Provost has performed laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for more than ten years, and has done the Lap-Band® procedure (laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding) since 2001, the year that the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the Lap-Band in the U.S.

In addition to providing obesity surgery patients with the highest quality surgical treatment and expertise, the Bariatric Surgery Center coordinates complete, multidisciplinary care for Denton weight loss surgery patients, including nutritional, psychological, and rehabilitative care, and sponsors regular support groups for pre- and post-operative patients. The Provost Bariatrics Support Group meets from 7:00p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at Dr. Provost’s office (2501 Scripture Road, Medical Building #6, Suite 303 in Denton). Participants are also encouraged to arrive early (at 5:45 p.m.) and join other patients for an hour-long walk around the hospital grounds and neighboring park.

For more information on the weight loss surgery support group offered by Dr. David Provost, or to schedule a consultation to discuss bariatric surgery options at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton, please call Provost Bariatrics at 940-323-3450.

Provost Bariatrics coordinates complete, multidisciplinary care for obesity surgery patients, including nutritional, psychological, and rehabilitative care. The practice also sponsors regular support groups for pre- and post-operative patients.

PRE-SURGICAL CONSULTATION
During your initial visit, Dr. Provost will carefully explain the details about weight loss operations, including the risks, benefits and dietary changes that can be expected, and he will answer any questions you may have. If you decide to have surgery, we will contact your insurance company to obtain approval (see below). Occasionally this may take several weeks, and appeals may be necessary. Once approval has been obtained, we will schedule a date for surgery.

A second visit is required prior to your date of surgery to review the risks and benefits and perform a complete physical examination. You will then be escorted to the hospital day surgery area to complete your preoperative evaluation. There, you may meet with nurses, anesthesiologists, dieticians, physical therapists, and other providers who will participate in your care while in the hospital.

You will return to the hospital the morning your surgery is scheduled. Dr. Provost will again meet with you prior to your surgery. The majority of our gastric bypass procedures take from one and a half to two and a half hours. Recovery time in the hospital following your surgery is usually one to three days, depending on the procedure. You will return to see your surgeon about one week following discharge for an examination, to remove sutures or staples if necessary, and to advance your diet. An additional visit is required at 4 to 5 weeks for gastric bypass patients to discuss the next stage of dietary changes. Additional follow-up visits are maintained at 3 month intervals for the first year or two following weight loss surgery, then annually for life.

INSURANCE OPTIONS
We strongly recommend that you attend one of our monthly information, question-and-answer sessions prior to your initial appointment to learn about the different surgical treatment options and whether insurance will cover your procedure. You can also check your health insurance policy or inquire with your human resources department to determine if surgery for obesity is a covered benefit, and what requirements are necessary. Both gastric bypass and the Lap-Band procedure are covered under Medicare, when medically necessary.

To expedite the insurance approval process, our office will contact you prior to your appointment to confirm coverage and that all prerequisites have been met. Please bring a written record of previous attempts at weight reduction, as well as copies of medical records from any physician-supervised weight loss programs. Cash payment plans are available for patients who choose to pay for their weight loss surgery out of pocket.

The staff of Provost Bariatrics