Dr. Robin P. Blackstone Joins Advisory Board of Consumer Guide to Bariatric Surgery

Consumer Guide to Bariatric Surgery is thrilled to announce that Robin P. Blackstone, MD, FACS, FASMBS, the president-elect of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), is now a member of its advisory board.

Dr. Blackstone is the medical director of the Scottsdale Healthcare Bariatric Center in Scottsdale, Ariz. She is also a clinical associate professor of surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and the president-elect of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Blackstone received her bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona and her medical degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Colorado Denver. She is a founding board member of the Obesity Action Coalition and a tireless advocate for obese people and access to treatment for obesity.

The former chairman of the Access to Care Committee of the ASMBS, Dr. Blackstone's passion is to help improve access to bariatric and metabolic surgery for appropriate candidates.

In her role as adviser, she will focus on access to care issues. Growing numbers of public and private insurers are now covering - or considering covering - certain bariatric surgeries. Consumer Guide to Bariatric Surgery has recently added comprehensive information about these issues with new articles on gastric sleeve insurance and gastric bypass insurance.

"Insurance coverage of bariatric surgery is a hot-button issue and a moving target, and I am so excited that Dr. Blackstone is on board to help our readers better understand the nuances of insurance coverage," says Denise Mann, editor of Consumer Guide to Bariatric Surgery. "Her expertise and insight will help us stay ahead of the curve, and make sure our readers have the most reliable and up-to-date information on the Internet."

Dr. Blackstone is also enthused. "Informing the patient about surgical options and their access to them is becoming an important part of the new era of medicine," she says. "The Consumer Guide to Bariatric Surgery provides an important way to educate people seeking care for this devastating disease."

About Consumer Guide to Bariatric Surgery

Consumer Guide to Bariatric Surgery is a one-stop, independent resource covering all aspects of life before, during and after bariatric surgery. This website provides comprehensive, detailed information about weight loss surgery (or bariatric surgery), including tips to help potential patients determine if they are among the best candidates for each procedure, and information on the recovery time after surgery and appropriate expectations. Popular topics include gastric bypass and Lap Band surgery.

All articles are reviewed by leading bariatric surgeons to ensure consumers receive the highest-quality, most trustworthy information on the Internet. To complement the site's robust content, a before-and-after photo gallery is available.

Consumer Guide to Bariatric Surgery is published by Ceatus Media Group LLC, a provider of online health information and physician directories.