Steps Before Surgery

All of our patients are required to complete each of the following steps before surgery. Our staff at the OSF Weight Management Center is trained to guide you and ensure your successful completion of the pre-surgical process. You must lose or at least maintain your weight during the program. If you gain weight, you may not be approved for surgery.

1. Obtain a Referral from your Medical Provider (doctor)
A referral letter from your family doctor is required. Once the referral has been received, someone from our team will call you to schedule an initial appointment.

2. Call your insurance company.
Call your insurance provider to learn about your benefits for bariatric surgery, associated tests, and pre-operative education.

3. Watch the information video series.
To learn more about weight loss surgery, and the program steps, watch our 4-part video series. This step is required to proceed in the program.

4. Complete the medically managed weight loss program (approximately 6 months).
To begin the surgical weight loss program, you will complete a medical assessment with an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) to get a clear picture of your overall health. You will also complete a SECA Body Composition Test which provides a detailed overview of your body composition. You will participate in the Pathways to Surgery program to learn about the changes required before and after surgery.

5. Meet with your surgeon
You will be scheduled for an appointment with your surgeon to discuss surgery options and develop your surgical plan. You will need to complete medical testing, as ordered by the surgeon.

6. Attend Monthly Support Group Meetings
To connect with others in the community who have had bariatric surgery, or are going through the surgical weight loss program, we encourage you to attend support groups.

7. Complete a Psychological Evaluation.
This is a requirement. You will be referred to a psychologist about mid-way through the program steps.