Robert Rutledge Bariatric Surgeon M.D.

My first impression was very good of Dr. Rutledge. I went for an evaluation back in March 2000, and saw a film and saw patients who had just had the surgery, as well as people desiring the surgery like me.

I did not see the doctor any more before my surgery six months later. However, I conversed with him through e-mails, and got answers to questions I had that way.

My impression has not changed over time; I still find Dr. Rutledge to be highly professional as he was the first time I met him.

The office is very nice; however, they are extremely busy and hard to get sometimes.

Future patients should know that his bedside manner is great, and he treats the obese patient with respect and dignity.

He highly emphasizes aftercare, and return visits.

Yes, he does have a structured aftercare program.

Regarding risks of this surgery, he spells it out, and tells that you can die from this surgery, and is very thorough in this.

I would rate Dr. Rutledge as a 10+++++, and am so thankful I went ahead and had this surgery.

In surgical competence, bedside manner, I would still rate him equally a 10+++++ on both.

Very concerned

He was always very willing to return calls and responded well to questions.

Office staff were very helpful

Dr. R. requires that you have follow-up with a PCP from your local area, and you must have a letter of recommendation stating that he will follow you when you return home.

You have to thoroughly search information regarding the surgery, the possible complications and side effects of it and you must state them in your own words in a 10 page letter.

I would rate him as a 10 on a scale of 1-10!!

Surgical competence!! For the most part his bedside manner is also great!!

I met Dr R on 10-10-00, he is a caring doctor which is hard to find. He requires updates in follow up care. He explains all the risk of surgery. His staff is very helpful and very busy.

Dr. Rutledge is a superior surgeon and educator. He forces you to be informed regarding the bariatric procedure he performs. He prepares your for the best and the worst of surgery. His staff is understaffed and difficult to get in touch with. Occasionally emails are not answered and calls go unanswered. He has difficulty keeping up with the flood of new inquiries.
Rutlede places a very high empahasis on after care, both medicinally and nutritionally. I give Rutledge very high marks for surgical competence and bedside manner. His care and compassion for the obese is unparalleled.

I can not say enough about Dr.Rutledge. He is the most informed,caring,skilled doctor I have ever met. He made it clear that this was not a miricle cure for my morbid obesity this is a tool. He requires an extensiive evaluation, family support, your acknowledgement to the dangers and expected outcomes. He is always available for me. He also contacts me thru e=mail to "just checking in". He has made available to all his post and pre op patients a support network on the internet. I would highly recomend him to anybody who wants 5 little scars instead of a 12 inch incision, to return to work with in 7 days. to leave the hospital in 24 hrs if you are ready and if you have to pay like I did spend less than $11,000. Dr.Rutledge is always thinking of what is in the best interest of his patients and I feel honored to be one. He has made this Mini Gastric Bypass available to those of us who chose to meet his requirements it took me 2 months to get a psych. evaluation,get letters of support from my family members who also were required to read the manual, then write a letter stating that I understood what I was risking. I can not think of one negative thing about Dr.Rutledge!

I first met him at the clinic on June 13th. I think he is everything I thought he would be. A very kind, compassionate, caring individual. He knows exactly what he is doing and he makes sure that we are also knowledgable of what he will be doing for us. I had to really work to get the information packet together that he requires. And it must be exactly as he says in the Patient Manual. If it is not, he will not accept it. He makes sure we understand what he will be doing, how he will do and the benefits of what he has done.

We have to write a paper that proves to him that we understand the reason we are having the surgery, the complications, and even the follow-up. To me and many others like me, he is a GOD-SEND. I feel that he is an angel that has been sent to rescue me from this miserable life of obesity and for that I will always be grateful.

I cannot rate him because I don't feel like there is a scale with a range large enough to do so. UPDATE**************091800*****
I had surgery 090600. Durham Regional Hospital is the best in my book. They care. When I came out of surgery and was being awakened, for some reason, I could not breathe. I had to have support in order to breathe. I remember Dr. Rutledge was always there. Sometimes he would wake me up, and sometimes he would just come to see how I was doing. I just remember him always being there.

Once you meet him you ask yourself, is he a doctor? He is like no other physician that I have ever known. I feel so fortunate that he was my surgeon. When I was in ICU, and I would hear his voice, I felt very secure knowing he was there, because he cares about his patients. If you are a patient of his you can tell that he is the most caring, compassionate, empathetic doctor there is. To him I will always be thankful for what he has done for me. He restored my hope in myself and gave me the opportunity to have the life I never, ever, had before. I will be in his debt for the rest of my life, because I know that if it were not for God using him, I would not have a life.

As I said when I first posted, I cannot rate Dr. Rutledge on a scale, because I don't think there is one with a range high enough.

I thought him to be a competent surgeon with a big pracitce. I find that he responds to questions very promptly. His office staff is competent but very busy.

I like his ease of contact. Of course, his competence as a surgeon is my top rating of him. There are many good surgeons that are technically good but hard to get through to. Just Email Dr. R. a pertinent question and he will answer within a day usually, or sooner.

He has much emphasis on aftercare. The program is structured.

He let you know, without a shdow of a doubt, that this surgery has risk of death.

Scale of 1----10 he is a 10.

Surgical competence is number one and a bedside maner is good to have, but not necessary. He has both.

Dr Rutledge and his staff are absolutely wonderful! Debbie is a very busy woman and although she is not able to "chit-chat" other than a quick "hello", she has never been anything but polite and informative.. Dr Rutledge has the biggest heart I have ever seen in a person. He tries his best to answer a question, he does not "rush" when he is with you. He takes his time with each and every patient. If you plan on seeing him, plan on being there for about 6 hours.. He does require a "clinic" visit in which you will talk with other pre-ops and post-ops as well as talk with him one on one.. During this time he will also talk with everyone as a group. You will not just be sitting there for 6 hours reading a magazine... You will be talking, asking and learning! He even shows you a video of the operation itself! Out of every Dr I have ever went to I have never known one to be so involoved as Dr Rutledge is... I believe surgical competence AND bedside manner are equally important and Dr Rutledge would most definately get a 12 in that category!!

8/9/00 Met with Dr. Poplawski today and it was a great success!!! I really liked him, he was very informative and seemed very nice, even throwing in a few jokes here and there. I was very impressed.
I really liked Dr. Poplawski but due to the facts I stated above, it looks like if I have surgery at all it will be a self-pay with Dr. Rutledge.

Dr. Rutledge cares genuinely about his patients. If you are thinking about having the MGB, but don't wish to go through the lengthy approval process, then this is not the surgery for you. The reason there is so much involved is that Dr. Rutledge wants you to be EDUCATED in order to best be able to succeed postoperatively. Period.

I've had all my questions answered promtly and courteously. He shows a real caring for those who entrust their care to him.

The office staff is very busy, and excellent to work with!!!