Surgeon review: Mark Fontana

[swimbikerun]

He can operate, excellent surgeon. However: may give conflicting instructions, & blame you for non compliance. May leave you without care if a problem occurs. If you don't leave and find help elsewhere, may get an attitude with you. Have found nurses & patients talk about how cute he is, which I wonder might be part of his "fame". Was unable to diagnose a simple issue needing an operation that 2 other groups' surgeons diagnosed immediately. Medical peer reviewed literature says a surgeon should be able to recognize certain complications of bariatric surgery. He wrote in my records he didn't know of any. One of his doctor recommendations was for a doc with a multimillion $ verdict for a patient who died. May not always answer questions or answer them completely. May not always tell you of all treatment options. Stated that 'if you don't do what I say, I'll write it in your notes, so that other doctors will see it & wonder why'. Get everything you can in writing. Review recommendations against current medical peer reviewed literature, they may be different. Staff is fabulous, but some may talk. Family members have rated him online. Did say that a website from a particular group would be equal to his care. Has shown anger in dealing with patients.

Will talk about you (not positively) and what is in your medical records, right or wrong, to other people off the street. Very "political" support group. Went for almost a year without a nutritionist.

The staff may or may not use medical research as a basis for conditions. May try to "sell" you on a diagnosis that doesn't follow medical research or regular criteria. Please be careful. If you happen to have a good outcome, great. If you don't, you may be left holding the bag. I'm not the only one with problems that has been "left out in the cold".

 

[DianaCox]

So, basically, RUN FORREST RUN!!

 

[swimbikerun]

It depends on what you are looking for. I would say that and other items with other surgeons in the group, others' experiences, were not always positive.

I don't believe that administration ever took any steps to stop behavior like this, or will they ever. Hence my reason for posting this. I have more stories but suffice it to say, there are those who've had good experiences with him but you want ot know how they will act when things don't go well. That tells you a lot about the surgeon, the attitude & experience, and the administration.