Duodenal Switch in Ontario
To find out if you qualify for bariatric surgery in Ontario
see the list of Bariatric Surgery Criteria below.
To start the process you need a doctor to register you in the
Ontario Bariatric Registery
. Once registered you will be assessed by a surgeon from your
assigned Regional Assessment and Treatment Centre. To our
knowledge only one surgeon in Ontario is performing Duodenal
Switch (DS) surgery. If the surgeon you have been assigned
to does not, at your assessment you can ask for a referral
to Dr. Dennis Hong at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Hamilton
to be evaluated for the DS.
Resources
Bariatric Services in Ontario
Ontario Bariatric Network
Ontario Bariatric Registery
Remember, if you do not meet the requirements for Duodenal
Switch surgery coverage in Ontario you have the option to
self-pay. There is a surgeon in Quebec, Dr. Gagner, and
surgeons in the US and internationally that provide these
services. Please make sure you thoroughly research your
surgeon’s credentials and experience.
Bariatric Surgery Criteria
These are the criteria to qualify for bariatric surgery
acccording the the
Schedule of Benefits
updated September 2011:
29. Bariatric surgery
S120 (gastric bypass or partition), S189 (intestinal bypass)
and S114 (sleeve gastrectomy) are insured services only when
all of the following four criteria are satisfied:
1. Presence of morbid obesity that has persisted for at least
the preceding 2 years, defined as:
a. Body mass index (BMI) exceeding 40; or
b. BMI greater than 35 in conjunction with any of the following
severe co-morbidities:
i. Coronary heart disease;
ii. Diabetes mellitus;
iii. Clinically significant obstructive sleep apnea (i.e. patient
meets the criteria for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea); or
iv. Medically refractory hypertension (blood pressure greater
than 140 mmHg systolic and/or 90 mmHg diastolic despite optimal
medical management);
2. The patient’s bone growth is completed (18 years of age or
documentation of completion of bone growth);
3. The patient has attempted weight loss in the past without
successful long-term weight reduction; and
4. The patient must be recommended for the surgery by a
multidisciplinary team at a Regional Assessment and Treatment
Centre in Ontario.
Regional Assessment Treatment Centres
Pediatric Regional Assessment and Treatment Centres
For children 12-17 yrs old.
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)
Hospital for Sick Children (STOMP Program)
Bariatric Centres of Excellence
1. Hamilton Bariatric Centre of Excellence
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
Hamilton Health Sciences Centre (Medical Site)
2. University of Toronto Collaborative Bariatric Surgery Program
Humber River Regional Hospital
Toronto East General Hospital
St. Michael’s Hospital
St. Joseph’s Health Centre
The Hospital for Sick Children
University Health Network’s (Toronto Western Hospital)
3. Ottawa Bariatric Centre of Excellence
4. Guelph Bariatric Centre of Excellence
Don’t Have a Family Doctor?
If you are trying to find a family doctor you can make use of
Ontario Ministry of Health – Health Care Connect
web site. This program helps Ontarians without a family
health care provider find one.