Bariatric surgery: What happens after requesting surgery? 

If you are considering bariatric surgery for weight loss, this overview can help you understand the process at Kaiser Permanente.

Requesting surgery

Your first step is to tell your primary care physician that you are interested in bariatric surgery. Your physician can refer you to Bariatric Surgery at our Kaiser Permanente medical offices location in Bellevue, WA.

The bariatric nurse will process your referral through Kaiser Permanente's Clinical Review Unit. The Clinical Review Unit evaluates the referral request to determine if the surgery is covered by your health plan and if you meet the medical criteria for bariatric surgery.

Be sure that your doctor knows what diets you have been on in the past. It is required that at least two be listed by name.

You will receive a letter approving or denying the surgery request. If denied, you will be told why and possibly have an opportunity to appeal that decision.

Steps after approval

If the request is approved, the bariatric pre-op nurse will contact you within 30 days to get you started in the pre-op program. Patients will complete the pre-op program in steps. The first step is to attend a bariatric surgeon information session (you must be approved into the bariatric program to attend this session. The bariatric pre-op nurse will schedule the session date).

The remaining steps in the program will be explained by the pre-op nurse, at the bariatric surgeon information session. At that time, each patent will receive a bariatric program notebook.

Once all of the steps have been completed, pre-op consults will be scheduled with the surgeon and the bariatric dietitian.

Surgery dates are scheduled, following the consult with the surgeon/dietitian.

Post-surgery visits and support

After surgery, you will have regular follow-up appointments with the bariatric team for 5 years, by the bariatric team.

If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact the bariatric clinic at 425-502-3454.