New Virtual Meetings Offer Easy Way to Learn More
June 10, 2020
Monthly informational sessions about bariatric (weight-loss) surgery at Wellington Regional Medical Center are now being held virtually, giving people who are interested in this procedure a chance to find out more from the comfort of their own homes.
The decision to move the meetings to a virtual format was made in response to COVID-19, but the hospital had been considering this approach well before the pandemic, says Ana Aristizabal-Shaffer, BSN, RN, Bariatric Surgery and Medical Weight Management Program Coordinator. The first two remote meetings were held in May using Zoom, a video-conferencing service that enables people to connect from their computer, tablet or phone. Over 30 people who had expressed interest in the sessions were sent personal invitations with a link to attend. “We had probably the most attendance we’ve had,” says Aristizabal-Shaffer.
Please call the office at 561-798-8587 if you would like an invitation to attend an upcoming informational session.
In addition, an online Weight-Loss Surgery Seminar is offered for people seeking to learn more about the weight-loss surgery program, and it is required as part of the pre-operative process for those who have their surgery at Wellington Regional. During the video presentation, patients learn about the different bariatric procedures performed by board-certified general surgeon Srinivas Kaza, MD, FACS, and they find out more details about what treatment entails.
“I believe that when you educate people and give them more than they are expecting, they will feel more comfortable,” Aristizabal-Shaffer says. “It’s that individualized approach, that extra attention to detail, that makes us different.”
She says that patients have come from around the region and even further to have weight-loss surgery at Wellington Regional, and she’s excited about the opportunity to reach even more people with this virtual approach. “The possibilities are endless in terms of what we can do with technology,” she says.