Dr Amjad Ali, MD

Co-Director of Bariatric Surgery

amjad.ali@hamot.org

Dr Ali is a board certified general surgeon with fellowship training in advanced laparoscopic surgery. His residency in general surgery was at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) Newark NJ. He later completed a research fellowship at the Endosurgery Center of Duke University Medical Center in Durham NC and completed a clinical fellowship in advanced laparoscopic surgery at The Center for Videoendoscopic Surgery University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle WA.

Dr Ali is a member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons(SAGES), the American Society for Bariatric Surgery(ASBS), the American College of Surgeons(ACS) and the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons(SLS). As the director of laparoscopic and Bariatric surgery, Dr Ali performed open and laparoscopic weight loss surgery at the University of Missouri - Kansas City's (UMKC) Truman Medical Center, from October 2000 until September 2004.

Dr Ali plans to continue his weight loss surgery practice including laparoscopic and open Roux-N-Y gastric bypass and Lap-Band surgeries working in collaboration with Dr Arreola to maintain Hamot Medical Center as a Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery.

Dr Rodolfo Arreola, MD

Co-Director of Bariatric Surgery

rodolfo.arreola@hamot.org

Dr. Arreola is a board certified general surgeon who specializes in weight reduction surgery. He earned his medical degree at Brown University School of Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island and completed his residency training in surgery at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, New York.

Dr. Arreola was an attending surgeon at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – Horizon in Greenville, PA and was instrumental in developing the Bariatric Surgery Program at that facility. Joining Hamot Medical Center in October of 2003, Dr. Arreola started the Bariatric Surgery Center. He has performed more gastric bypass operations for weight reduction than any other surgeon in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Dr. Arreola is now joined by Dr. Ali and together they will work to establish Hamot Medical Center as a Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery.

I started my job at Hamot Medical Center in 1993 as an office coordinator at an Internal Medicine office. I became a Business Manager in 1998. I was given the opportunity to join the Bariatric team as a Business Manager in January 2008. It has been a pleasure to work with such a dedicated team of people. Our patients are our number one priority and we will work together to help each patient meet their individual goals.... Tracy

Anita Stippich

LPN

Heidi E. Gianaris
Bariatric Nutritionist

(814) 877-4983

heidi.gianaris@hamot.org

Heidi works with both the pre-op and post-op patients, discussing the importance of proper nutrition both before and after bariatric surgery. She performs nutritional evaluations on patients prior to surgery, explaining all aspects of the post-op bariatric diet, including behavior modification, life-style and long-term dietary changes. Working with the patients after surgery, Heidi helps them in understanding and following the post-op bariatric diet. She is also involved in the bariatric support groups each month.

“I am very excited and proud to be a part of the Bariatric Program here at Hamot Medical Center. It is a privilege for me to be able to help patients make the right dietary changes and provide them with nutritional support and guidance that will ultimately lead to a healthy lifestyle.”......Heidi

Shari Dodick

Insurance Coordinator

shari.dodick@hamot.org

(814) 877-6989

Insurance coordinator facilitates insurance approval for weight loss surgeries then collects and sends the needed documentation to the insurance companies for pre authorization. After medical evaluation, patients are advised to stay in touch with her.

"I am a graduate of Mcdowell High School and JH Thompson Academy. I am proud to be a part of Hamot Hospital for the past five years. I have been employed in the medical field for the past fourteen years. Good communication and compassion are a few things I have obtained in my experiences. I look forward to working with the patients here at the Bariatric Surgery Center and providing them with positive, individual attention they deserve.”......Shari

Most health insurance companies have established guidelines that patients need to follow in order to be pre-authorized for weight loss surgery. My goal is to work with you and help you fulfill those requirements so that you can proceed with your weight loss surgery. Here are a few things you can do to help me in this process.

• Contact your insurance company before coming to your initial appointment with Dr Ali or Dr Arreola and make sure weight loss surgery is not EXCLUDED from your plan
• Please understand that we have a very large number of patients undergoing the work-up before weight loss surgery. Once you start your work-up, keep track of what you have completed and what is pending. At the time of your initial visit, you will receive a folder with a lot of information about weight loss surgery. One of the items in the folder is a list of tests and appointments that need to be completed before your surgery. Use that list as a guide and check everything off as it is completed. Please keep that list in front of you when you call me to find out the status of your pre-authorization
• The step that delays your weight loss surgery most frequently is the requirement by insurance companies that you try to lose weight under the supervision of a physician before proceeding with weight loss surgery. Most insurance companies require you to have WEIGHT LOSS SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS with your PCP for this purpose. Most plans require 7 visits, one visit per month (a few require 3 months or 4 visits). If you plan to see Dr Ali, his Nurse Practitioner Terry will be able to see you every month to help you fulfill this requirement.
• Please call your insurance company to find out if they require you to do that. If your insurance company requires it, there is no way around it. I recommend that you discuss this issue with your PCP and start the process of diet and exercise documentation as soon as possible. You can do that even before your first appointment with Dr Ali or Dr Arreola. Again the folder you will receive at the time of your first appointment has a template that your PCP can fill out at the time of every visit. If you lose that template or need extra copies of it, you can download them by clicking on this link
  
  Based on my experience dealing with insurance companies, I have found out that the PCP notes are most helpful when they cover the following issues at every visit
• notation of your current diet program
• notation of your current exercise program (type of exercise, times a week, and for how long)
• notation of your PCP recommendations on your diet AND exercise programs
• Pennsylvania Medical Assistance also requires patients to keep a daily food and exercise log for three months before preauthorizing weight loss surgery
• When you are close to completing your workup, and only one or two items are pending, you can notify me and I can start the paper work to submit your case to your health insurance for pre-authorization
• Once you have been submitted to the insurance company, they can take up to 30 days to review your case
• I will contact you as soon as I hear from them and we will move forward from there
• If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via email if you have internet access. It is more efficient for me and I can spend more time on processing your paperwork. If you do not have email access, you can leave a message at my voice mail 814-877-6989. Please understand that it could take me 2 to 3 business days to return your calls

Fely Heibel, NRCMA
Medical Assistant

felicitas.heibel@hamot.org

"I am a graduate of Great lakes Institute of Technology-Medical Careers, 2006. I worked at Hamot Physician Network before joining Hamot Bariatric Surgery Center in May 2007. I am very proud to be part of such a great team.”......Feli

Jennifer Holsopple, CMA
Medical Assistant

Jennifer.holsopple@hamot.org

"I am a graduate of Erie Business Center and I have been working for Hamot since 2005. I am very grateful to be working at an office with great people and patients."......Jennifer

Jackie Smith
Physician Assistant

jackie.smith@hamot.org

I am a recent graduate of Gannon University and earned my Master's Degree in Physician Assistant Science with honors.  I have been working with Dr. Ali and Dr. Arreola since July 2008 and I am pleased to be working with two terrific surgeons.  They have taught me a lot about bariatric patients and I know that I will be able to give patients the compassion and care they deserve......Jackie Smith.

Lorinda Hull

Program Coordintor

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