Irene P.
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Joseph M. Vitello
"Dr. Vitello answers his own phone, returns messages, and answers his email messages. He is a very straightforward and no-nonsense person...sometimes too much so. His need to do everything himself caused problems for me when it came to my insurance. I switched from Aetna HMO to BlueCross BlueShield PPO, another of the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plans, after checking the BCBS plan book and website to verify that Gastric Bypass Surgery, Dr. Vitello, and the University of Illinois Hospital were all covered. Unfortunately, they had eliminated one of their departments and changed their pre-approval procedures when Dr. Vitello wrote to them, and he was unwilling to give me a date for the surgery under their new procedures. It was all worked out with the help and persistence of one of the BCBS Customer Relations Representatives, but I believe it would have worked out sooner if Dr. V. had not been handling his own insurance claims. I chose Dr. Vitello because I did not want to be treated in what I felt would be a hospital-factory atmosphere and I did not want a lot of structured aftercare. I preferred to be given the information and allowed to make independent decisions and choices outside of a group setting. He and his nurse, Mary Dewberry-Lait, gave a LOT of pre-op information, both verbal and written, to prospective patients; and they made no bones about the risks and possible side effects of the procedure. After my surgery date was set, I was given post-op info and told to call if I had questions. My support group meeting days are over and I don't wish to go back to them, so Dr. Vitello was perfect for me...competent, experienced and straightforward."
About Me
Oak Park, IL
Location
28.4
BMI
RNY
Surgery
05/10/2001
Surgery Date
Sep 30, 2000
Member Since
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