Are you struggling to lose weight and looking for a supportive environment to kickstart your journey to a healthier, happier life? TidalHealth, with locations including Seaford, Delaware, and Atlantic General Bariatric Center in Berlin, offers comprehensive weight loss programs designed to provide the tools and support you need to achieve your goals. With a focus on patient-centered care, TidalHealth prides itself on offering the best in personalized treatment plans.
Understanding the Need for Weight Loss Programs
Weight loss surgery primarily tackles the issue of obesity; however, obesity is a disease of metabolic derangements that directly contributes to the formation of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, fatty liver disease, liver cirrhosis, sleep apnea, heartburn, and more than a dozen types of cancer (if left untreated).
Patient-Centered Care at TidalHealth
At TidalHealth, you’re not just a name on a chart - you're a person with feelings and needs, and your care is our No. 1 priority. The medical team believes in building relationships between practitioners and patients based on trust, open communication, and mutual respect. At TidalHealth, we focus on patient-centered care; we want you to have an appointment when you need it in a location that’s convenient for you. Our program brings together specialists dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate care focused on personal diagnosis and treatment plans. Our patients get access to state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment facilities.
The Importance of a Personalized Plan
Weight loss doesn’t have one solution, and the process looks different for each person. “Everybody needs to have a personalized plan,” Simmons said. With a plan tailored to your needs, education to help you succeed, and a support system to keep you on track, you can achieve your weight-loss goals.
Medical Weight Loss Options
Medical weight loss programs are available for individuals who may not qualify for surgery or prefer a non-surgical approach. Simmons said it’s important to learn how the patient is looking to lose weight - whether they want to pursue surgery. Not everyone qualifies for surgery, either; for example, the person’s body mass index could be too low to qualify. After learning about a patient’s initial goals, Simmons can work with them to find the best way to help. As part of the care she provides, she can connect the person to mental health, fitness and nutrition resources.
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Feldman said she’ll generally start out with lab work to see if there’s another reason someone could be struggling to lose weight. Then, she will provide guidance on nutrition and physical activity, and if the patient is interested in medications, she’ll discuss options with them.
Bariatric Surgery at TidalHealth
For those who qualify, TidalHealth offers several surgical weight loss procedures, including minimally invasive options. TidalHealth is pleased to offer robotic assisted surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System. Minimally invasive surgery results in shorter hospital stays, quicker recoveries and smaller scars.
TidalHealth surgical weight loss procedures include:
- Sleeve gastrectomy (gastric sleeve)
- Gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y bypass)
- Biliary-pancreatic diversion duodenal switch
Atlantic General Bariatric Center procedures include:
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Gastric bypass
- Lap band conversion to sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass
The Experience of Chris Martinez
For Chris Martinez, surgery was the right choice. In May 2023, he had gastric bypass, or Roux-en-Y, surgery performed by Jarrod Buzalewski, DO, one of TidalHealth’s bariatric surgeons. Before the surgery, Martinez was 270 pounds, but more of a problem for him was having to be on three medications to control his blood pressure. He was also dealing with acid reflux. Now, Martinez, who is the public safety manager at TidalHealth Nanticoke, is down to 188 pounds, only needs to take one blood pressure medicine and doesn’t need to take acid reflux medicine. He said he feels 10 or 15 years younger. The whole process has been positive for him. “Feeling better medically and physically was the biggest thing,” he said. Martinez stayed fully committed to the process and said it’s important for people considering surgery to have the right mindset. On a scale of 1-10, he said he’d rate Dr. Buzalewski an “11.” “He’s just very personable, and he really, truly cares about his patients,” Martinez said.
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The Importance of Mental Health Evaluation and Support
Every patient needs to have a mental health evaluation before surgery to ensure this is something they want to do - not that someone else wants them to do - and that they understand the impacts, Simmons said. The screening also includes a history of other mental health issues, such as eating disorders or substance abuse. It’s also helpful for the patient to have support at home. Both TidalHealth and Atlantic General Hospital offer support groups for patients.
Bariatric Surgeons at TidalHealth
Tarek Waked, MD, FACS, FASMBS, is a bariatric surgeon specializing in minimally invasive weight loss procedures. Dr. Waked welcomes patients at his private practice, Waked MD, located in Georgetown, Delaware. Dr. Waked received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the American University of Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon. Dr. Waked has been honored to present original research at several professional meetings and has published research in peer-reviewed journals. In addition to maintaining active membership in the American Board of Surgery, Dr.
Testimonials
Kelly Novak, Seaford, Del. “So much of our lives revolve around change. Bariatric surgery is an incredible change that impacts you physically, mentally and emotionally. This surgery is a huge step and when you are ready to make the change, I highly recommend TidalHealth bariatric surgeons. I received incredible care from Dr. Malene Ingram and her phenomenal team. For me, the recovery from robotic surgery was quick with minimal pain."
“Dr. Palavecino has helped me regain my health. She is a wealth of knowledge and has taken the time to help me fully understand how to meet my weight-loss goals."
The Supportive Environment
“It’s a very supportive environment, that’s what we really try to build,” said Mary Williams-Feldman, CRNP, who cares for patients at TidalHealth Medical Weight Loss & Bariatric Nutrition in Seaford. Angela Simmons, CRNP, who cares for patients at Atlantic General Bariatric Center in Berlin, also stresses the importance of encouragement. Both providers say patients shouldn’t be afraid to come back if they haven’t lost weight since the prior appointment, for example.
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