Gastric Bypass Surgery: Get Started!

Your Steps

Welcome to the Greater Baltimore Medical Center gastric bypass surgery program!  Follow these steps to get started in our obesity treatment Program:

1) Determine Your Body Mass Index (BMI)

Obesity is defined by one's Body Mass Index (BMI) which is the primary method of assessing obesity. It is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters, squared. 

Use the BMI calculator provided by the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.

2) Understand the Guidelines

If you have decided that Bariatric or Weight Loss Surgery is the right obesity treatment for you, it is imperative that you understand the guidelines set forth by our program and your insurance carrier. You should also contact your insurance carrier and/or Human Resource Department to obtain their criteria for medical necessity and approval for Bariatric or weight-loss surgery. Be aware of specific requirements of your policy, i.e., 6 months of supervised weight loss.

Information sessions are held monthly at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Maryland and are required before scheduling a visit to see the doctor. They are designed to describe the medical and surgical services of the program. Sign up for an information session online!

3) Bring Documents to the Info Session

Fill out the forms and bring them to the Info Session:

• Patient History Sheet
• Patient Registration Form

Make a photocopy of your insurance card (Front and Back). Obtain copies of documentation indicating weight loss attempts in the past two years-- these include physician and dietician supervised weight loss, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig etc. Bring all these items to our office for the education class, which you are registered for.

4) Wait to Hear from the Program Staff

 The Greater Baltimore Medical Center    Comprehensive Obesity Management Program staff will:

A) Review Your Documents
Your documents will be reviewed by our nurse practitioner, to determine that you meet preliminary requirements based on NIH criteria. She will contact you if additional documentation is required prior to your initial visit.

B) Verifiy Your Benefits
Our financial coordinator, will verify your benefits with the insurance company. 

C) Schedule Appointment
Our patient service assistant, will contact you to schedule your initial appointment. 

5) Come to Your Appointment

Be sure to bring these items when you come to your appointment at our office: 

• A current driver’s license or photo ID
• Results of any lab or other tests performed within the last 6 months
• Referral from your Primary Care Physician if required by your insurance policy

At your first appointment, you will:

• meet with our financial coordinator, who will review the specifics of your insurance policy for surgery approval and your financial obligations.
• meet with our dietician, who will review weight loss and diet history. You will be placed on a pre-operative diet. This helps to prepare you for the lifestyle changes that need to be followed after weight loss surgery.
• meet with the nurse practitioner, who will review your medical history.
• have a brief physical examination by Dr. Moeinolmolki who will answer any questions you may have regarding the surgery.
• be given a list of tests that need to be required prior to surgery.