Roy Berkowitz Bariatric Surgeon M.D., F.A.C.S.

I was impressed with Dr. Berkowitz. I was having 2nd thoughts about going for my consoltation but I am glad now I went because Dr. changed my mind completely.
He answered every question I had and explained his answer.
His office staff was very helpful and friendly.

Dr. Berkowitz seemed very knowledgable and very pleasant. He answed all questions that I had before, during and after my surgery. I have had very little complications so far, which i will attribute to competant hands.

When I had my first consult with the doctor and his staff at BTC, they made us feel confident to make the decision of myself having this surgery done. My husband and myself were a little upset with how long of a delay we had between consults and also at preop testing (I had to do it a second time because I had strep throat and they had my new date a month later). I thought my second appointment would be a quick one. I did have less tests to go through but because of waiting on the PCP, my appointment was a long as the first. Anyhow, when I did have surgery - I was impressed with the attention that the staff did give me and they seemed very concerned about how things were going and helped me through it. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

My first impression was that this was routine for him. He never seemed personally interested in me. In fact, when interrupted during our consultation, he could not remember what he had told me and what he had not, explaining that it was due to having done so many consultations that day.

This does not mean that he is not a good surgeon, just that I saw him a total of about 15 minutes prior to surgery(including the consultation) and only about 5 minutes since(during my hospital stay). I may see him during follow-up visits, but I am only 5 days post-op as of this update(on 5/15/00).

The hospital staff in Belvidere, IL was wonderful, with the exception of some of the temporary CNA's, who needed me to tell them how to take my blood pressure with the machine used at the hospital.

The full time staff, however, seemed pretty compassionate. Of course, some more that others. They did their best to make me comfortable.

The doctor's bedside manner certainly could have been better. There was another doctor at the hospital that I saw, Dr. Hess. He seemed to genuinely care and was very encouraging.

Aftercare has not been addressed by the doctor at all, but the hospital staff did give me good info and encouragement, and did make it clear that it is important to do my follow-up treatments and visits.

He is very knowledgable of the surgery
He sat there paitently as I asked my questions and answered every one of them
his staff was friendly and available to answer my questions,
Kay the counselor was wonderful her positive attitude rubbed off I cannot wait to have the surgery and start over
5/2 well i went in for surgery dr berkowitzs staff was wonderful and very comforting
i didnt see him much before the surgery til i was in pre op but he talked to me and calmed what nerves i had about the surgery and didnt leave til i was assured..
after surgery he came in and answered all my questions and concerns as did his staff
he is wonderful, and i would recommend him to anyone seeking this surgery
his staff is warm and does there best to see that each paitent is well taken care of

My first impression of Dr. Berkowitz was very favorable. He was pleased that I was well informed and asked questions. He said that this makes his job easier and in the long run this makes for a better surgery and recovery for the patient when they are committed to learning and understanding the procedures involved. The counselor I met with after him was very rushed and in a hurry. I didn't mind as the doctor took his time and answered my questions in a professional and unhurried manner. He stressed that this is major surgery(roux en y) and lifestyle changes will have to be made but will be better for your health in the long run. There is a structured aftercare program at the Bariatric Treatment Centers. The office in Schaumburg, Il was very clean, neat and modern(I hate a dingy, dirty doc's office). I feel that surgical competence is of main importance along with a good bedside manner. The only negative thing I can think of is that some of the details we went over were because of my questions, so do your research and be prepared. These are my personal opinions of the Bariatric Treatment Center and Dr. Berkowitz.

First impression was favorable during consultation. Didn't see him after surgery until day I went home. Saw him at 2-4-6 week check-ups, but barely had time to answer any of my questions. Decided to change doctors at the BTC in Belvidere. Like Dr. Schlessinger much better. These are only my thoughts and impressions, others may not have had the same.

Dr Berkowitz I met on 4/5/2000, he was mild mannered and easy to talk with. No my impression didn't change during my hour long consultation.The staff was very warm.I felt relieved in answers to my question.All are important, surgical competence, bedside manner. The waiting is a pain. The insurance ok, makes me crazy this waite game ,how long.

Dr.Berkowitz was definitely professional in his handling of the consultation. He directly answered my questions and seemed confident in his answers. He is not an overly talkative person and at moments the converstation can make you feel strained especially when you are nervous. My overall impression of Dr. Berkowitz is very positive though.

The staff at BTC is absolutely wonderful. They are very comforting and make you feel at ease completely.

Dr.Berkowitz addressed the risks of surgery very directly and made certain that I understood the information he was giving me. BTC offers aftercare and have a great follow up program.

I would confidently return to BTC for surgery.

Dr Berkowitz was a very good Dr, I wish him and his staff would have explained the procedure alittle more in detail. I was very suprised to find out how large the incision was and the long recovery period. He was very concerned with my aftercare although i did end up with an infection in my incision that he missed on one of my visits and was caught by my regular family Dr.