About Us

The Center for Weight Loss Surgery at Newton-Wellesley Hospital (CWLS) is dedicated to helping patients achieve their weight loss goals - allowing them to live healthier lives and take part in activities that once seemed impossible.

The bariatric surgeries we perform include Gastric Bypass Surgery and the Sleeve Gastrectomy. We use a laparoscopic surgical approach (also called the minimally invasive surgery) to gastric bypass surgery whenever possible, to minimize recovery times.

Our Expertise
Our team performs 300-plus bypasses a year with an excellent overall success rate.  Our success rate is defined as a patient who loses 65 percent excess weight and maintains weight loss and health improvements long term. Read about some of our many bariatric surgery patients whose lives were transformed after successful surgery at Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Our multidisciplinary team is made up of four surgeons, three dietitians and three licensed psychiatric specialists: two social workers and one psychiatric clinical nurse specialist. They are all involved in the patient's care from the beginning and are available for lifelong follow-up care. We also have a skilled team of two RN First Assistants and a coordinator who helps patients navigate their journey. Get to know our team of bariatric surgeons.

Paying for Surgery
Many insurance companies have added coverage for gastric bypass surgery when surgery is found to be medically necessary.

Some insurance companies, however, have made exclusions in their policies. Employer-sponsored insurance may have the option of not covering the surgery even when it is considered a medical necessity. Therefore, it is important you find out if you qualify for gastric bypass surgery coverage.

Please note we also have a $550 program fee that is not covered by insurance. It covers the cost of operating a gastric bypass program where superior care is offered.

Why Have Surgery?
Many factors contribute to obesity such as medical conditions, genetics, eating disorders and environmental and metabolic issues.

Research shows that once a person becomes obese, dieting and exercise have a limited ability to sustain long-term weight loss. Gastric bypass surgery is an option for patients who have been unsuccessful losing weight through these non-surgical methods. The surgery has been proven to be the only successful, long-term treatment option. After surgery, patients typically lose 65 to 85 percent of their excess weight. Some patients lose up to 100 percent of their excess weight.

Further research shows that even after 10 years, most patients lose and maintain at least 50 percent of their excess weight loss and maintain the significant health benefits associated with this weight loss.

While surgery is not a cure for obesity, it is an effective way to reduce excess weight and alleviate the serious conditions that are acquired as a result of this disease. Having surgery does not replace the need for following a healthy diet and a regular physical activity program. In fact, the success of the surgery depends on the patient’s commitment to making these lifestyle changes.