Testimonials
Dr. Jossart and his team are professional, compassionate, knowledgeable and they are the best of the best!
What They Say About Us
Dr. Jossart and his team are professional, compassionate, knowledgeable and they are the best of the best.
I just went for my 3 week post surgery checkup. I have been so impressed with Dr. Jossart from the first time I went to one of his support groups (1/3/11) for information. I told him my concerns — to get my surgery before my 65th birthday (4/11/11) (before I got Medicare), and also to get rid of my type 2 diabetes. He got me in to see him in his office the day after I first met him at a support group and he constantly kept my goals in mind and told me what to do to fast track everything I had to do before we submitted to my insurance company for approval. When I came in to see him the first time, I wanted a vertical gastrectomy and he said that “might work”, but he asked me if I had thought of a duodenal switch. I told him my reservations about a DS and he answered each question I had and told me what I needed to know. I asked to speak to one of his previous DS patients and he found someone who was willing to speak to me about her DS. Meanwhile we moved forward even before I decided which I wanted. I ended up having my DS on 2/17/11 with insurance approval having come in 2 weeks before that. Much quicker than I had expected to have it done.
He is not only a fabulous surgeon (since he does all the different surgeries and revisions, he is not invested in which one you choose, and he does them all laprascopically), but he answers all your questions, has a great sense of humor and really cares about his patients’ success. He tells you how to lose weight and keep it off (calorie counts and what are the best foods to eat). And he has a great “bedside manner” — unusual in a surgeon.
I feel very blessed to be living in San Francisco where Dr. Jossart practices and that my insurance approved me having him do my surgery. I don’t think you could find a better bariatric surgeon anywhere.
March 8, 2011
Dr. Jossart is an extremely experienced, very knowledgeable and very competent professional. He is truly a pioneer
in VSG surgery in California and one of the best in the nation. Above all, he is a kind and caring human who goes out of his way to make sure you get the best care and have a successful experience and weight loss journey. Dr. Jossart is a critical thinker. He looks at the data and his own results and does not jump on the latest bandwagon or what some pharma company is pushing. He can logically and empirically explain the various types of surgeries and outcomes. He understands and repeatedly states that no surgery can work alone without disciplined diet and exercise. It helps you change your lifestyle but does not do it for you. I was very lucky to find Dr. Jossart after an extensive search. What first peaked my interest was his experience in VSG surgeries over a long period of time. What reassured me that I found the surgeon who would do my operation was his commitment to my personal care and professionalism. I have been attending his monthly support groups and have been under his and his staff’s care since 2010. My personal outcome has been great (better than I expected) but I’m not alone. I’ve met many of is patients and have seen equally dramatic results that go beyond weight loss and extend into co-morbidity issues such as mobility, diabetes and other health issues. I would unequivocally and without any hesitation recommend Dr. Jossart to do your WLS.
I first met Dr. Jossart in March 2009. My first impression was great. He is a very confident Dr. with amazing knowledge
on obesity health problems and weight loss surgery.
I was very impressed with his office staff and how quick they were able to accomodate me.
I was very happy with how thorough my office visit was and how much information I received from him. I was most impressed with his committment to each patient and how he truly gets to know each patient’s individual needs. I am 1 1/2 years post op and he remembers everything about my care and procedure. I believe his monthly support group meetings are very important to the post op patient. I am very thankful he attends each meeting and answers all our questions. He covers, in detail, the risks of surgery and the risks of obesity.
I am very thankful Dr. Jossart has the surgical competency and a great bedside manner to be an outstanding Dr. It is very important your Dr. has both of these qualities. I have lost a total of 197 lbs. and am VERY happy.
Karen Perez
Windsor, CA
Jan. 8, 2011
Very engaging and enthusiastic. You can tell he loves what he does. He is informative and is willing to answer any questions.
My husband had a question and Dr Jossart called him within one hour to answer his question. I have gone to a number of surgeon’s support groups and both my husband and I found Dr Jossart’s group the most attened and his post op patients seemed to be in agreement they were very happy with their weight loss and with his surgical expertise. His office staff is supportive and encouraging. The nutritionist Amy is available any time I need her.rn Marilyn, & Lauren, to name a few were more than helpful to me prior to surgery and after surgery. Dr Jossart maybe a little more money but his surgical skills and aftercare is superior. Monthly support group, available by phone, and patients care seems very important to him and his staff. They want each and everyone to suceed and to be as sucessful as possible. They follow every step of the process. I have the utmost respect for Dr Jossart not only as the most skilled surgeon but his patient education and attention to details.rnI rate Dr Jossart a 12!!!!! rnrn
Feb. 17, 2009
My first impression of Dr. Jossart was that he was very proffessional. He was willing to do what it takes to meet his patients needs but,
would not cut any corners in the overall surgical/approval process.
Dr Jossart seemed a bit arrogent when discussing his abilities, however after comparing his results to the national average I chose (and would again and again)his amazing surgical skill over all else.
Prior to surgery I had only one communication problem which Dr. Jossart responded to from vacation. I feel that our pre-surgery communication was minimal but that was mostly because I did not have any unanswered questions after our initial consult.
The day of surgery was a bit confusing Friday I recieved a call from Natalie (Dr. Jossart’s assistent) confirming my OR time for 1:30 and arrival time of 11:30 we arrived at 11:00 to find that surgery was not scheduled until 3:05. Other than that the Doctor was amazing; he kept things light going itno surgery, he checked in with me twice in my 24 hour stay and has followed up with me at home. I had amazing nurses and was well cared for.
Here I sit, 4 days post op. Still experienceing alot of gas pain, but mobile and keeping things down. I feel the procedure has been a success but only time will tell.
June 10, 2010
My first impression of Dr. Jossart was that he just seemed like a really nice guy. He was very knowledgeable and kind
and caring.rnrnHis office staff,especially Marilyn in the insurance department has been great so far. We’ve been in contact a lot recently as we try to do battle with PacifiCare to get around their Healthy Roads program.rnrnDr. Jossart’s aftercare program is not covered by insurance, since it’s very structured, and not deemed medically necessary by the insurance. This includes the support groups, check-ins, and other aftercare.rnrnWe discussed risks of surgery, especially with my kidney failure, and decided on the VSG as the best surgery for me.rnrnDoctor Jossart checked in on me each day I was in the hospital and was very concerned about me. I felt like he really cared. By the second day (I was in 3 days), I was up and feeling great. rnrnAfter I went home, I got a call from Doctor Jossart himself checking on me and seeing how I was doing.rnrnNot only does he have great surgical skill, he has great bedside manner, a strange combination in a surgeon. Both are fabulous. I didn’t need to choose skill over attitude with Dr. Jossart. For me, I have to have a connection with someone I’m going to trust to cut out the majority of my stomach. :)rnrnIf you can, I would definitely suggest going to Dr. Jossart at LapSF.rnrn
Oct. 4, 2007
After leaving Kiaser and deciding to self pay, I researched and found Dr. Jossart. I have only had my first consult
with him and very pleased. He really seemed to be the most informed doctor I have yet to speak with. Very infomative about my different choices of WLS and he cared enough to decide which operation was best for me. His office staff was nice and I have had no problems with communication, they have been great to work with and seem competent. I had my surgery and have nothing but compliments for him and his staff. I was literally walked through everything and he spoke with me before operating and then when I was in recovery, he even went to speak with my mother in the waiting room about the successful surgery. He was top notch all around. Now that I am PostOp, I can not say enough nice things about Dr. Jossart. I met with him again on my 3week followup, which was routine. Then I had a problem related to my lack of weight loss and met with him again. He was very kind and again informative on the ways of the body… He did not make me feel bad, but was reassuring and professional.
DAVID FISHER (RICHMOND, CA) WITH KAISER WAS MY SURGEON.
UPDATE: After too many problems (not being allowed to see him/talk to him, having extreme requirments, etc) I decided to go with self pay and go somewhere else outside of my insurance group… meaning, David Fisher is no longer my surgeon
He was very nice and explained things. Very competent and thourough… he did however require me to loose far more than the normal 10% preop that Kaiser required. He wanted me to be under 300 pounds before the surge… so I had to loose 57 pounds. I will post more when I met with him again, I have only had one consult appointment, which lasted only about 15 min.
Feb. 20, 2006
Dr Jossart is the greatest surgeon in the world. He is always nice to talk to. He has never raised his voice over any of my concerns.
His office staff work very hard to make sure everything came together for my surgery.Once I was sitting in the hospital waiting for an appointment to have a PH test done. I was talking with another person and all of a sudden this guy says Hi Allen how are you doing.I turned around and it was Dr. Jossart. He sat down with me for about five minutes and checked in with me all the things that were going on with me. Most of the doctors I have had would NEVER take time out of their day to check in on me.
without being paid for their services. Dr Jossart is the best doctor I have ever known.
April 8, 2003 (posted as a patient)
FEB ’03..So far I have only talked to his office staff. They have been more than helpful, patient and answer all my questions.
I got the answering service one time I called and that guy didnt identify that he was just the answering service, and was a bit short, but thats the only slightly negative thing so far. Well, that and the fact that I have to pay for surgery upfront and collect what I can minus 10% processing fee from the insurance. 8500.00 is alot to pay upfront and 850.00 is a HUGE processing fee. I think I will bill the insurance myself, and keep the processing fee. We will see how that all works out. I may end up not being able to do that, due to having to get prior approval for surgery etc. (I think their payment policies have changed since i originally typed this, check with the office.)
Dec ’03…im typing this 10 months after surgery. dr jossart is wonderful. i would highly recommend him. he did a great job on the surgery and his follow up has been great. i can email him or call with any problems and he is always there to help me out. i live 2000 miles away from him and his after care has still been wonderful. his partner dr feng assisted on the surgery and has helped alot with follow up too. he is almost always in their chat room every week and is also very nice. of course i love dr jossart the best, but i would have NO problems recommending dr feng also.
Feb ’06…now almost 3 years out, still only have wonderful things to say about dr jossart and dr feng. i have had some problems with a distended abdomen since my plastic surgery and dr jossart has always responded promptly to my emails and advised what i can do or what my my local pcp do. i will be going to see him for exploratory surgery the end of this month and absolutely will not let anybody else touch me. i dont trust anybody else like i trust these 2 docs. i have now had 9 surgeries in my life and will be flying the 2000 miles to have these docs look at me instead of trusting anybody here. they dont come any better than this!!! ( i just read the disclaimer at the bottom which says nobody is “the best” so i should write something negative so here goes… “sometimes the doctors actually take a vacation and arent there to reply to my email immediately and i get the out of office reply. that generally only happens once or twice a year, but jeesh that makes me mad, i mean, who does he think he is taking a vacation and leaving one of his awesome partners to take call for him?!?!?” 🙂
Feb. 6, 2006
My first impression of Dr. Jossart was that he was very interested in how much his patience already knew and how much he
wanted them to learn about this new opportunity. My impression of him overtime has only gotten better. I think he and Dr. Cirangle are busy at times but so caring and always there to immediatly assist in any way. For future patience, just know that as scary as this journey can be you are in good hands. As for aftercare, this is a lifetime change. You have the opportunity to follow the rules and get the best results and I strongly suggest that when the going gets tough and things seems gloomy, just hang in there. We all miss somethings we could have before but we all feel/look a billion times better. Overall, I would rate Dr. Jossart and Dr. Cirangle an 11. The extra point is because they are always willing to go above and beyond as doctors.
Oct. 11, 2002 (posted as a patient)
My first impression of Dr. Jossart was at my first WLS support meeting in Petaluma, CA. I had just found out the day
prior that my insurance had changed and I was in a jumble of emotions about starting over with getting an insurance approved surgeon figured out.
Dr. Jossart heard what I had to say and set aside some time after the lecture to speak with me. He took my name and phone number and his staff called me the following week to schedule a consultation. He was kind as I was not yet his patient and yet he was taking time to listen. I appreciate people who listen and do what they can to help.
At my consultation he was polite, informative and assured me that I would get insurance approval. I hope he is right! My BMI is 53 currently. He asked me to lose some weight and focus on a low-fat protein diet preop to get my liver in shape as he does this laproscopically and has to push the liver aside to get at my stomach and intestines and wants it not to fall apart during the operation. So I am doing what I can preop to get my body in shape for surgery. Well the best I can at 285 lbs.
By paying for surgery you get 2 years follow up care.
He did a fine job, and I have to give him credit because I went in there with about 30 questions and we went through all of them. Plus he gave me this preop surgery booklet that covers everything under the sun.
Postop I would now say that my impression of Dr. J has only improved. I feel assurred that he wants to make sure I am doing well and will do everything to make sure I am doing well. Great nurses at CPMC as well! He and his assistant surgeon Dr. Tolland are very competent and kind.
March 27, 2005
When I decided to have WLS, I zeroed in on Dr. Jossart because his experience and options provided is excellent
My first impression of Dr. Jossart is that he is well researched, skilled surgeon. I based this impression on both the stats I had reviewed prior to our actual meeting, as well as the issues which came up in our consultation. For example, I had info about a recent study that was published and most people I had talked to had not heard of the study, but Dr. Jossart not only knew about the study, he knew a lot of info I did not know.
I never had face to face contact with his office staff. Everything was handled via e-mail and phone calls. Overall, they were very helpful in getting the whole process going. I attended an orientation in January and had my surgery in March, so things moved along pretty quickly. In between those two events, I had my consultation and numerous tests.
I can’t say there is anything I like “least” about Dr. Jossart other than I am moving out of the area and will not be nearby his practice to participate in the support groups and see Dr. Jossart during my scheduled check-ups. He is the kind of doctor you acutally look forward to seeing.
I think new patients should just be open and honest in their communication with Dr. Jossart. I wouldn’t try to hide anything or be hesitant about bringing forth concerns.
Dr. Jossart provided a solid aftercare program including follow-up appointments at regular intervals and support groups.
During my consultation, Dr. Jossart discussed the risks of each of the surgeries. He also provided material to read through. There is a lengthy form to complete prior to surgery that goes over each risk. Dr. Jossart also discussed the risks of obesity.
Dr. Jossart is an excellent surgeon. His practice is well established. His office staff knows how to handle all of the red tape involved in moving toward WLS. Dr Jossart’s record reflects a surgeon who has skill in performing WLS. Dr. Jossart’s personality reflects a person who is truly committed to improving the quality and quantity of lives. If I had to choose between surgical competence and bedside manner, I choose the former over the latter — but, fortunately I did not have to make that choice. Dr. Jossart is competent, skilled AND supportive, understanding.