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Bariatric Patient Care Conference Offered for Pre-Op and Post-Op Patients

The Center for Bariatrics at Bailey Medical Center is not only a Center of Excellence, but also the leading Bariatric Center in Northeast Oklahoma. Bailey Bariatric surgeons, registered dietitians, exercise specialists, as well as a psychologist and plastic surgeon will host a free one-day seminar for pre-op and post-op patients. The seminar is designed to educate and motivate patients on their bariatric journey to become strong, healthy and nutritionally correct.

Licensed psychologist Dr. Jenny Wood, Ph D., will lead three classes at the seminar. “The patient care conference is a unique opportunity to connect, learn and share with patients and providers,” she says. “There is a growing focus on a national level on bringing patients and providers together in a variety of ways to support patients on their unique journey of weight-loss and weight maintenance. Events such as the Your Weight Matters Conference sponsored by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), which is held in Orlando, Florida later this year, has risen to be a premier educational event bringing hundreds of individuals together to learn more about weight and health.  The patient care conference at Bailey Medical Center brings this kind of focus on physical and emotional health and wellness to patients on a local level and is an opportunity patients will not want to miss.”

Nutritionist Rene Norman, RD, LD, says the conference is an opportunity to learn more about what makes nutrition for a bariatric patient different than our mainstream thinking of proper nutrition. “Would you fuel up an Indy 500 racing car with kerosene?” Rene asks.  “Of course not. That’s the wrong fuel. Nutrition for bariatric patients is unique. Knowing what and how to eat the right fuel is required to be a healthy bariatric patient before, during and after surgery.”

Rene will be leading two sessions – Figuring it out through the First Year and Breaking through Plateaus. Nutritionist Suzanne Gauldin, RD, LD, offers a session for pre-op patients, Learning How to Eat. “It takes time to get your head wrapped around these unique requirements,” adds Rene.  “It takes practice to achieve an optimal nutrition status. We know the learning curve can be overwhelming through all stages of bariatric surgery. As the saying goes: Learning is all about repetition, repetition, repetition! Repetition of information helps shorten the learning curve.  The Patient Care Conference is a great opportunity to preview, review, repeat and reinforce nutrition information to discover your best plan to optimize your bariatric nutrition.”

The conference is divided into three paths to assist pre-op patients, post-op patients within one year of surgery and post-op patients past the one-year date of their bariatric surgery. Attendees are encouraged to select any classes within this three-path structure to address their current concerns, as well as address any future issues. Based on the pillars of the GEAR Support Group program, classes offered will show how to be successful after bariatric surgery by incorporating all aspects of the program – proper preparation for surgery, engagement in the support group network, nutrition, exercise, and consistent follow-up with physicians.

Attendees will choose two morning classes, a lunch panel discussion with Dr. Joebob Kirk, and an afternoon class followed by an exercise session with exercise specialists David Steward and Mo Smith.

Space is limited to 200 attendees. If you are interested in attending, register online at baileybariatrics/com/PCC. The conference is located at Bailey Medical Center and free to attend. http://www.baileybariatrics.com/content/conference-registration