Outpatient Surgery Benefits for Bariatric Patients
Embarking on a journey involves a mix of emotions, including excitement, anticipation and nervousness. This is also true of a weight loss journey. Bariatric surgery is a great way for many overweight people to begin their journey toward a healthier lifestyle. Although the road is never easy, it’s possible to lose weight and make healthy lifestyle changes. Outpatient bariatric surgery procedures, including gastric sleeve and gastric balloon, are minimally invasive and require little to no hospital stay, meaning typical recovery times are shorter and costs are lower.
Cost Benefits of Outpatient Procedures
The costs of procedures vary by location, but the average cost of gastric sleeve surgery is around $19,000. This usually includes a one to two night stay in the hospital. We offer patients the option of transferring to a hotel room after surgery, dramatically reducing the price. By creating a strictly outpatient option, we are able to lower the average price for gastric sleeve surgery to around $11,300, plus the hotel stay. This demonstrates one of the major benefits of outpatient procedures – they are often significantly less expensive. Without insurance, gastric sleeve ranks fifth lowest in total cost out of the top seven bariatric procedures. Gastric balloon is usually the least expensive of the seven, but gastric sleeve ties for the lowest price when covered by insurance.
Outpatient Procedures are Easier on Patients
Outpatient bariatric surgeries are generally easier on patients. The procedures are less complicated than weight-loss surgeries like gastric bypass, so they take less time to perform. The incision sites are small and the risk of complication is low. Wound site infection is the most common complication among patients and occurs only about 12 percent of the time. Less invasive procedures with fewer complications make recovery shorter and easier.
What to Expect During Surgery
Gastric sleeve is a straightforward surgery with low rates of complications. Be sure to carefully follow your doctor’s orders prior to surgery, including the two week pre-op diet. Don’t eat or drink anything starting at midnight the night before surgery. Not following your doctor’s instructions could result in your surgery getting rescheduled. After checking in, you’ll meet the nurse and anesthesiologist, change into a hospital gown, sign consent forms, get an IV and be given medications to help you relax. A nurse will then come and take you to the Operating Room where you’ll be placed under anesthesia. The procedure is relatively quick and typically takes less than two hours. You’ll wake up in recovery and be moved to your hospital room.
Outpatient Recovery
People experience pain differently, so your experience during recovery can range. We’ve found that the option of staying in a hotel room gives our patients greater privacy and comfort while greatly reducing the overall cost of surgery. Dr. Borland visits your hotel room to conduct one-on-one check-up visits in the days following.
Dr. Borland’s focus on outpatient procedures makes weight loss surgery more affordable and comfortable for patients. With shorter recovery times and reduced rates of infection, outpatient procedure options like the gastric sleeve and gastric balloon attract patients from all over the country to start their weight loss journey with Dr. Borland.
We have more information about what to expect after surgery here.