"I feel so very lucky to have had the opportunity to have my DS surgery with Dr. Smith. He truly is one of the best in the world. My first impression was a sigh of relief. My husband was very uncomfortable with the whole idea of surgery. Although he trusted that I had done my research, he still had serious doubts about the process. After our first appointment with Dr. Smith, my husband's fears were eased and he was just as enthusiastic as I was. Dr. Smith just inspires confidence.
He is extremely thorough and meticulous, and his surgical team works like a well-oiled machine. During our stay in the Atlanta area, each time we mentioned his name to anyone in the health care field, we heard some version of "Dr. Smith??!! Oh, he is wonderful. You are in great hands. His patients always do well."
During my appointments, he took plenty of time to explain everything in great detail, and was very patient in answering all of my questions and encouraging me to ask more. I never felt rushed, or patronized.
His staff was wonderful to work with. They were very patient and encouraging with me as I fought for insurance coverage for over a year. Their recommendation of an insurance specialist is the key that unlocked the whole insurance issue for me and got me covered for DS!
The thing I like least about Dr. Smith? That his practice is 5 hours away and not next door to me as I would like. But I know that he is just a phone call or email away.
Dr. Smith has stringent requirements regarding pre-surgery testing, so pre-ops should be prepared for a fairly long and involved process of testing. All of it has a purpose, and it's all to safeguard your health.
Dr. Smith is very diligent about aftercare. He has a structured program with plenty of support available to post-ops.
His surgical competence is beyond reproach, and his bedside manner is calm and reassuring. He isn't likely to crack jokes or talk about the latest episode of your favorite TV show, but that's hardly the quality I'm looking for in a surgeon.
I would recommend Dr. Smith to anyone interested in bariatric surgery of any kind."
