The Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center weight loss surgery program assists patients in Acadiana to live a healthier life. If you take a close look at what we have to offer, you will find a program that is unique in its design and scope.
Surgical Weight Loss Designed for Results
We offer preoperative education as well as post-operative support for patients looking for healthier options. Not only will we guide you through the steps necessary to have bariatric surgery, but we also provide the necessary tools that are fundamental to your post-operative success for many years to come after your surgery. Nutrition, exercise, behavior modification counseling and support groups, are among the resources offered to ensure your success after surgery.
Our goal is to offer a personalized program that will help you lose weight and succeed in reaching your goals. There are many different types of weight loss surgeries, and Ochsner Lafayette General has the most comprehensive choices on the market.
Powered by Bariatric Specialists
Our Bariatric Surgery Department is accredited as a Comprehensive Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons and American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery's Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). We believe surgery is a tool, not a cure, to help patients lead a healthy life.
Along with the surgeons, Philip Gachassin, MD, Dennis Eschete, MD, and Robert Autin, MD, the bariatric support team includes a registered nurse, dietitian, patient advocate, behavior modification educator, licensed practical counselor and certified personal trainer.
Types of surgery:
- Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
- Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band (Lap Band)
- Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve
- Laparoscopic Duodenal Switch
Our Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program
Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center’s Bariatric Surgery program also offers a comprehensive program for people who want to lose weight, but surgery is not a desire or option. The Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program is an ideal avenue for patients who may exceed the weight limit for surgery, do not have insurance to cover the cost of surgery or may just be interested in losing only 20 to 30 pounds. The program, underway since November 2012, helps people make realistic dietary changes under the continuous guidance of a physician, dietitian and lifestyle counselor.
Benjamin Doga, MD, oversees the program at Acadiana Weight Loss Surgery, located at Ochsner Lafayette General Surgical Hospital —An Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Campus. Scheduled visits occur every Tuesday and include sessions with a dietitian. The goal is to help people safely lose weight and keep it off by learning new food choices and habits. It is essentially a lifestyle modification program that pursues the best course for each individual.
Participants can choose a three-month or six-month plan. Dr. Doga will evaluate patients to help determine their best options, which can include a customized diet and/or pharmaceutical assistance to help suppress appetite and participants will receive constant support from professionals throughout the program.
Taking the Next Step Towards Losing Weight
If you’re ready to start your journey, consider attending one of our Weight Loss Surgery Seminars. These free educational sessions are open to the public and held monthly in Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center’s Owen Auditorium. For more information, call 337-289-8484. Due to COVID-19, our Weight Loss Surgery Seminars will be webinars until further notice. Click here to register for a seminar today!
If you’d like to learn more about the Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program, you can download our Bariatric Brochure, call 337-289-8484 or email OLG-weightlosssurgery@ochsner.org.
