Hargroder, Dr. David

I can't say enough wonderful things about Dr. Hargroder and his staff.
From the very beginning, I was treated like a person, not like a patient. Dr. Hargroder got my inquiry email about whether I qualified for weight loss surgery on Easter weekend. WIthin an hour, my phone rang, and it was Carla Hubenthal, Dr. H.'s patient advocate. I was having an asthma attack at the time, and she patiently waited while I hit my inhaler - on a Saturday. On her own time.  We talked about my medical history, and Carla agreed that although my weight was a little low for surgery, it wasn't too low. I had a number of co-morbidities (sleep apnea, asthma, hypertension, a diabetic parent) that qualified me for the procedure. Carla talked me through the beginnings of the process and told me to go to the website, join the Yahoo group, download the patient manual and get started on my pre-op medical visits with my primary care physician.
Within two weeks, I first met Dr. Hargroder. Because I live in Hollister and he works in Joplin, I met him online via a webinar program. This took over an hour on a Monday night, after a full day of patients! Dr. H. explained the procedure in great detail, talked with me personally (and three other patients that night) about my concerns and questions, and did not once try to "sell" me on MGB as the right procedure for me. In fact, he encouraged me to know all my options, and requires his patients to know how different weight loss surgeries work.   After our consult he agreed to do my surgery, leaving Carla's tentative May 17 date on the schedule. Dr. Hargroder has done transplant surgeries as well as general surgery, so I felt confident he was the guy to cut on my stomach and small intestine. His record is outstanding.
Robin Cearnal is the staff member who handles all your preop patient materials. She also hands out her cell number and is always available, even off-hours. Robin was an invaluable asset to me, answering my emails promptly and helping me sort out all the testing and labs I needed. She even helped me set up my psychological evaluation, which is required before surgery. Robin is a pro at dealing with long-distance patients, since Dr. Hargroder is the only surgeon in five states to do the MGB procedure.
I got all my labs, EKGs, pulmonary function tests, history and physical and permission for the surgery from my primary care doctor, and arrived in Joplin on May 16 in time to register with Mercy Hospital and attend my afternoon clinic visit with Dr. Hargroder.  Tonya Williams, Dr.'s front office staff member, was smiling and happy to help me through the afternoon. My visit was thorough, I sat through another hour of patient education with Dr. Hargroder, and then he examined me and went over what I could expect before and after surgery the next day.
Surgery went wonderfully. I had a moderate reaction to general anesthesia, which caused  nausea and vomiting for the first 24 hours after surgery, and Dr. Hargroder and the Mercy staff were outstanding. They managed my care and my sky-high blood pressure beautifully. I have never gotten such excellent care. I had no need for pain medication after the evening of surgery, and once my tummy was under control and I could get off the IV fluids, I was allowed to go "home" to a hotel room before traveling home a couple of days later. Even so, I had to call Dr. on his cell phone every single day between noon and 1:00 pm. He answered his own phone every day, and he was patient to answer questions every day. He had me monitoring my blood pressure a couple of times a day and wanted that number each time I called.  By the end of the week I was running normal blood pressures consistently without meds - for the first time in a decade. 
A week after surgery, Dr. Hargroder saw me in his office to check my incisions and remove my staples. I had lost nearly ten pounds my first week, I was off my blood pressure meds, and I was a little tired, but in no real discomfort.  Dr. spent another hour going over expectations for the next stage of recovery.  He spends a huge amount of time on patient involvement and education, and explains things so they are easy to understand and follow.
I haven't had an asthma attack in three weeks. I'm off all my meds, although I keep the inhalers around "just in case".  Just this week I have heard from Robin, who told me to stop looking at the scale (I'm down 20 pounds so far!), and from Carla, who loves to encourage patients via the Yahoo group.  I've even heard from Dr. Hargroder, although I haven't needed to call him - he still checks in on the Yahoo group and weighs in (no pun intended) on issues of supplements and what we should or should not be doing :)  And any time I have an issue I can't solve, I know I am welcome to call, because someone will talk me through it - from Tonya or Carla or Robin to Dr. Hargroder himself.  I don't know too many surgeons who answer their own cell phones, or email patients just to make sure things are going okay!
In short, the MGB procedure is not for everyone, but it was the right procedure for me. And Dr. Hargroder is the only surgeon I would trust with such a life-altering procedure. I feel valued as a person, not just as a patient. Dr. Hargroder even plugged my first novel in one of his classes, much to my surprise - he'd read it! And every patient of his that I talk to feels just the way I do.  This surgeon is not just a surgeon, he's a caregiver. He could charge thousands more for this surgery, but he chooses to try to keep his costs low (for surgery) and his patient care time is a priority.  He's my favorite health care provider EVER. 
If you have 100 pounds you'd like to lose forever, or even less if your weight is affecting your life, give Dr. Hargroder's office a call. I promise, no matter who answers the phone, you will feel valued. You will be told that your weight is NOT your fault. You will be given hope for the future.
The only caveat: most insurance companies do not like to cover weight loss surgery. Mine, with hospital bills and preop testing, ran almost $19,000, all self-pay (I was uninsured at the time of service.) If that is a concern for you, call anyway. The ladies in the office may have some advice on dealing with your insurance company, or on lenders who can help. It's worth the price of a car to get your life back.