Susan's Place Transgender Resources

It seems that they are now performing GRS at BMC in Boston, MA. Dr. Robert Oates is one of the surgeons performing it. Has anyone seen his results? I've spoken with them and they kind of avoid the topic when I asked about seeing recent results. I've searched google several times and cant find anything on him for GRS.

I don't know but I will certainly try and do some research also as I go to the Fenway. It would be great if there was someone local who was good.

Quote from: Briezy on March 28, 2016, 04:52:51 PM
I don't know but I will certainly try and do some research also as I go to the Fenway. It would be great if there was someone local who was good.

I go to Fenway also and they dont even seem to know a lot about what's going on at BMC. During my last therapy session, we spent about half of it searching for info and couldn't find anything.

According to a top us surgeon it takes a few hundred op's to be really good.

Just saying.


*hugs*

Quote from: Laura_7 on March 28, 2016, 05:40:13 PM
According to a top us surgeon it takes a few hundred op's to be really good.

Just saying.


*hugs*

Yup. That's why I'm keeping my 2017 appt with Marci Bowers. I don't think I want to be a learning experience.

I hadn't heard this. It's great news. You'd think this would be a growth industry - especially in the northeast. Please let us know if you come across any more information on that. Thanks!

It's funny. I must have come across his name before as I had already been to his website so he must have showed up on some list of potential surgeons. I also remember his site containing no info about GRS. I thought I may have emailed his office asking what they performed but can't find that email now. I'm suspect right away if he does do GRS but doesn't advertise it in any way, almost like it's a dirty secret. If I remember my question was about orchiectomies. I didn't think he did GRS but I will email them again if I can't find my original.

Quote from: michelle666 on March 28, 2016, 03:13:32 PM
It seems that they are now performing GRS at BMC in Boston, MA. Dr. Robert Oates is one of the surgeons performing it. Has anyone seen his results? I've spoken with them and they kind of avoid the topic when I asked about seeing recent results. I've searched google several times and cant find anything on him for GRS.

Their website www.bmc.org says in his profile

Male reproductive medicine and surgery

another website for ts surgeries lists him as
MTF orchiectomy with 33 ratings.

Its possible they expand services.


*hugs*

From what my therapist told me, Oates and one other surgeon went somewhere and trained for six months on GRS. I find it odd that they aren't showing results or anything like that. They haven't actually performed GRS yet at BMC. It seems that they're waiting for MassHealth to start approving people.

Quote from: Laura_7 on March 29, 2016, 03:52:48 PM
another website for ts surgeries lists him as MTF orchiectomy with 33 ratings.

If I did contact them, this was the reason for the inquiry. Knew his name popped up somewhere, but haven't been able to find the grs info.

I just got a call from BMC about the GRS there. They said that they could probably book me for this fall but they weren't sure when they were starting. When I originally talked to them I asked to see pics of the results. I told her that I never received them and she said "That's because they haven't done any GRS yet, you would be one of the first at BMC"
Ummmmm...... No! I'm definitely sticking with Bowers now. I have one shot at this and I don't want to put it in the hands of someone who's never actually done it.

I just got off the phone with Oates office he has not started yet but he will when he finish the perfection (i reckon ) and they took my number down and added me to some waiting list for the future

Well, I still don't know about SRS but I had a bilateral orchiectomy with Dr. Oates Friday. Everything is healing nicely and mentally and emotional I feel great. Dr. Oates himself was super down to earth and really, really nice. Like genuinely. He didn't seem like he was trying hard to be politically correct or faking his concern for the trans community in general. Like, he's just a regular dude which I actually appreciated. He wasn't an egomaniac surgeon nor was he this fake, "ok sweetie...we are going to take care of you." He was just himself which really was confident and reassuring.

On another note too the entire thing was so easy. Now I had all my references and stuff ready to go for the most part, but it was on quick consult, he told me where to fax my letters and then who to call for surgery and it was schedule two weeks later. That was really nice.

And he did mention that he always keeps in mind of the possibility of full srs in the future and his surgery preserves as much skin as possible while still looking pretty if I choose to never have the surgery.

Anyway, I would still love to see the SRS results, but for the orchiectomy he gets two thumbs up or five stars or 10 out of 10. Whatever rating system you like.

Quote from: TinaVane on May 06, 2016, 01:09:03 PM
I just got off the phone with Oates office he has not started yet but he will when he finish the perfection (i reckon ) and they took my number down and added me to some waiting list for the future

Greetings everyone . I'm new here. I've been receiving all care at BMC , I figured it was a " one stop_shop"
Had consultation with Dr. Oates 5/17   He started GCS 6/16 . HRT since 2/17 . I lightened the mood by joking about
his first surgery . No pictures yet , I'm certain everyone's dying to see .
huggz
Roberta

Quote from: Briezy on March 28, 2016, 04:52:51 PM
I don't know but I will certainly try and do some research also as I go to the Fenway. It would be great if there was someone local who was good.

Hello Friends
a lady named Supraja is the GRS liason at BMC . She's extremely helpful and knowledgeable . there was supposedly a support group starting 2/17 but hasn't yet come to fruition . My shrink and my primary care at BMC is top notch , I didn't even need the endo. , dr Safer , for hrt . My hrt started 2/17 , hopefully surgery is around St Pats day , '18

roberta,

Hi. Welcome to the site.

Thanks for jumping in and sharing you experiences and joining us. I hope we can support you too.

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With warmth,

Joanna

Im curious if you kept your appoinment wih Dr bowers? And if anyone has anymore information on Dr. Oates?

Welcome, CurlyWild! I'll be in Dr Oates office in nine days for an orchiectomy consultation. I can update then.

Hugs, Devlyn

Quote from: CurlyWild on July 11, 2017, 07:05:40 PM
Im curious if you kept your appoinment wih Dr bowers? And if anyone has anymore information on Dr. Oates?

Hi CurlyWild,

Welcome to the site. I Corrected a little mistake in spelling.

thanks for asking the question, I was curious as well.

I also want to share some links with you. They are mostly welcome information and the rules that govern the site. If you have not had a chance to look through them, please take a moment:

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Once again, welcome to Susan's. Look around, ask questions and join in.

With warmth,

Joanna

Hello, I am in the Boston area and meeting wtih Dr. Oates soon as my T levels after 5 years of hormones are too high and I would like an orchi.

Briezy and/or Devlyn, do you happen to know how much you paid/what Dr. Oates estimated the cost of your orchi to be?

Thank you!

Quote from: scrumptioussoda on December 02, 2017, 11:23:38 PM
Hello, I am in the Boston area and meeting wtih Dr. Oates soon as my T levels after 5 years of hormones are too high and I would like an orchi.

Briezy and/or Devlyn, do you happen to know how much you paid/what Dr. Oates estimated the cost of your orchi to be?

Thank you!

They're going to run it so you pay every penny of your deductible. Here is my orchi thread start to finish. If you have no patience, the numbers are on page 13. My recovery was not textbook perfect, you will see that in the thread.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,224375.0.html

Hugs, Devlyn

Do you know what the total cost would be for someone whose insurance wouldn't cover it?

It's mandatory for insurance companies to cover it in Massachusetts, that's why I said it will cost whatever your deductible is. Your total cost is going to be your maximum deductible.

Hugs, Devlyn

What insurance did you have? I have BCBS. Does this law only apply to orchi's or all trans surgery? Thank you for this information I really appreciate it.

It covers orchiectomy and GRS, I'm not sure about BA, FFS, or other surgeries. I use BCBS too, and I go through Fenway Health. I can't say enough good things about them.  :)

Hugs, Devlyn

hi, i'm considering Dr. Oates, but does anyone know if there are results available to be seen online yet?

dying to know. if i can't get satisfactory information about him and his practice i'm going with another surgeon.

Quote from: Dee Bellwether on April 05, 2018, 09:17:42 AM
hi, i'm considering Dr. Oates, but does anyone know if there are results available to be seen online yet?

dying to know. if i can't get satisfactory information about him and his practice i'm going with another surgeon.

I'm curious, will you be posting photos of your surgery afterwards?

I'm not very shy, but I have not posted any unclothed pictures of my crotch online. I posted pics in a bikini so the bruising and swelling could be seen. Good luck choosing a surgeon. If I need further work, Dr Oates will be my choice.

Hugs, Devlyn

So I also live here in the Boston area and have seen everyone talking about Dr. Oats.  Is he the only Dr. in the Boston area who will perform GRS? 

I am considering Dr. Rumer in Ardmore, PA. and it looks like I could get scheduled in September of this year. Dr Rumer will work with BCBS to file the papers and get the surgery approved for me.  The GRS will be covered by BCBS and the amount I pay should be even less since I had augmentation in January and most if not all of my deductables have been met.  I also have everyone on my team at the ready for an appeal should BCBS decline my request.

I have already had augmentation by Dr. Sadowski (she's great) and yes my BCBS covered the procedure even though it clearly stated they would not.  I have some small bills to pay from the surgery but almost all of it was covered.  BCBS said they would not cover this procedure and turned me down.  I had to appeal the decision and received the go ahead within a week.  It was tricky but they broke down and paid. 

I have been seen by Dr. Spiegel for FFS however he doesn't work with any insurance companies.  The reason is that most will not cover the procedure.  So he handed me an estimate of $84K that he wanted paid in full prior to the surgery.  Thanks Doc!  I will opt for FFS early next year in which BCBS will probably decline to pay and I will go through the appeal process again only to have them cover the cost, even though they say they won't (they just don't know it yet...LOL).


Note:
I live in Massachusetts but my BCBS come out of Pennsylvania so they play by different rules.

I only know of Dr Oates team here in Massachusetts. His waiting room has been packed with transwomen every time I was there.

Hugs, Devlyn

Hello TiffanyMA, welcome to Susan's!  This was your first post so I'll add information to help with navigation and site guidelines.

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What Oates told me in my consultation with him in December of '16 was that he and Slama had observed multiple surgeries done by William Kuzon at umich and I honk also just one by Karen Boyle in Baltimore.

I'd think the BMC team is now at 60-70, maybe more completed procedures. I've not seen any documentation of their results.

Hello. I am a post-operative(14 years now)transgendered woman and I'd like to share the experience I had with Dr. Oates and Dr. Slama.
For a number of years, I'd been considering revision surgery to build up my labia;move them closer together; and remove a tiny amount of spongiosum from the mouth of my vaginal canal. The cost of doing so was prohibitive, so it didn't happen. When I found out MassHealth was covering transgender surgeries, I went to my primary care physician and asked how I could go about undergoing surgery covered by MassHealth. My physician at the Fenway Community Health Center immediately referred me to Dr. Robert Oates at the Boston Medical Center. My initial meeting with him took place in July of 2016.  He examined me; then, told me to get back to him in February of 2017. In February, I scheduled  another appointment and ended up seeing him again in April or May. After this second visit, Oates referred to Dr. Jaromir Slama. It took two months for him to see me because his "transgender coordinator" Supraja was out of the office. When my appointment was made, it was scheduled for the eight o'clock hour in the morning; that's before the hospital is even opened up.
During my interview and examination by Slama, I asked if I'd need to abstain from alcohol before my operation; he said he'd get back to me with a response. He didn't. This can be an issue for anyone planning to undergo any kind of surgery. After waiting for a response for a week; I called his office asking for a response and was told he'd left the country. So I called up Dr. Robert Oates' office with the same question and never got a response from him. Via e-mail and phone messages to his secretary, Erica Baptista(she did get back to me), I must have made five or so contact attempts; to no avail.
Now; I was given a surgery date in October of last year, but I had to cancel it since I wasn't given an answer to my question. I know what it's like to experience complications after these surgeries; orchiectomy in 2001 and full SRS in 2004. One other thing; there was a pre-surgery appointment that was set up for me right before my surgery date with someone named Karen. It was scheduled at least a week in advance for ten o'clock in the morning. Since I rely on public transit in the Greater Boston Area(I live in Marlborough), travelling into Boston can be timely and quite inconvenient at certain times. This ten o'clock appointment was convenient and well planned, but the day before I was called by one of Slama's secretaries and was told to come in in the eight o'clock hour, again. I simply couldn't do it on such short notice.
I was never told that MassHealth pays for these transgender surgeries out of state the entire time. I implore you to read the reviews of Dr. Robert Oates on physicians rating sites before considering him as your SRS surgeon. You will hear nice and not so nice reviews from his cisgendered fertility patients and his transgendered patients. Consider your options.

<Edited by moderator>

Quote from: Post-Operative Lady on June 11, 2018, 05:47:15 PM
... I implore you to read the reviews of Dr. Robeert Oates on physicians rating sites before considering him as your SRS surgeon. You will hear nice and not so nice reviews from cisgendered fertility patients and transgendered patients of his. Consider your options.

One of the nice reviews on Dr Oates was mine.  :)

I think everyone should leave a review on their surgeon, we can use a good database.

Hugs, Devlyn

Oh, and welcome to Susan's Place,  Post-Operative Lady. I just noticed this is your first post.  Weymouth girl here. See you around the site!

Hugs, Devlyn

Hello Post-Operative Lady, welcome to Susan's.

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When you get a chance it would be great if you introduce yourself in the Introductions Forum (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/board,8.0.html).

All the best,

Kendra

I first want to apologize for reviving a dead thread. I've started teh process for getting my GRS at Boston Medical center in September and felt this would be the best place to share since it si an update. I also apologize for going silent the last two years. My time back in Massachusetts has been a rollercoaster.

First off: ERICA IS GONE!!!!! I started calling her the great wall of Erica as when I first tried getting my consult with Dr. Oates. I did this in September of 2018. I had all my letters ready by the end of the month, yet no one. got. back. to. me.... I called and left messages several times with no luck from September to December. Finally in December, the message and person were different and the office got back to me the next day! I had my consult scheduled for January.

I met with Dr. Oates and found him very personable. He is a Boston city doctor, but I didn't feel dismissed or treated ill in any way. He even met me in the waiting room which I have never had a doctor do. Ever. We discussed the process, what I had to do next as well as touching on "exactly" what I wanted. This is discussed with Dr. Slama, with whom I'm already scheduled for a consult with in July. Now I need to start the process of removing hair for surgery and lose about 20-30 lbs. Which is better than the 70 I was thinking I'd have to lose.

And apparently my estimate for a surgery date a year to a year and a half. While I don't have an exact date, you get this after meeting with Dr Slama, he did give me that estimate and it seemed very reasonable.

I have my consult with Dr. Slama Monday. I can't remember where, but I posted somewhere about Dr. Oates and I think Erica too? I'm not sure what happened. She was great at first, but last fall in August, like you, radio silence, weeks passed, but I finally got my consult with Oates, and then in September with the Nurse (did you do this?) I find Dr. Oates great. I'm anxious to see how Dr. Slama is.

I met with Dr. Slama. There was a lack of follow-up with him, too. My question involved preventing complications during and after surgery. He said he'd get back to me with an answer. Soon thereafter, he left the country and never gave me a response.
Good Luck