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Weight loss is high on many people’s’ priority lists but, as anyone who’s ever tried to shed pounds can attest, it’s rarely an easy task. For some, surgical assistance is the best – or only – way to meet health goals. That’s where bariatric surgeon Dr. Charles Procter comes in.
“Most of the difficulty in losing weight and maintaining weight loss is about how your body works, not about lack of motivation or effort,” he says. “My goal is to manage those organic obstacles so you can see results that lead to long-term success.”
Dr. Procter has been practicing out of Piedmont Atlanta for the last four years, but recently found that most of his patients were driving up from Fayette and Coweta. In order to reduce his patients’ drive and offer them great care closer to home, he decided to expand his practice to Newnan. Beltline Bariatric Surgical Group opened this spring, specializing in bariatric procedures and hernia repair.
“Bariatric procedures aren’t like other surgeries where you see the surgeon maybe one or two times,” Dr. Procter explains. “I see my patients long-term – often for life. So it’s important that I be convenient to them. That’s also my favorite part of this specialty: getting to form relationships with patients and watch how they grow healthier over time. My whole goal is to help patients live better lives and it’s very reward-ing to get to see the long-term results first-hand.”Education forms the core of Dr. Procter’s practice. He offers 90-minute free informational meetings focused on explain-ing how the body works, several times per month. He’s also active on Facebook and Twitter, where he regularly links articles and provides information and advice.
“Many people don’t realize that we have a variety of procedures available today,” says Dr. Procter. “I can work with the patient to determine which option is right for them. I feel that it is important to offer multiple options for surgical weight loss from the traditional procedures like minimally invasive gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy to newer procedures such as the intragastric balloon, which is a more short-term treatment.”
Dr. Procter is also the only surgeon in Georgia to offer the vBLOC procedure, which approaches weight loss through neurotherapy and is generally used for patients who prefer a procedure that doesn’t change their anatomy.
“Our field is very different than it was 10 years ago,” he says. “I think it’s critical to keep up with advancements.”
While Dr. Procter’s style and ap-proach are all his own, he shares his passion for helping patients with his father, who began practicing bariatric medicine in the 70s.
“When I was a kid, I wanted to do something else – anything else – because I heard so much about about my dad’s work at home,” he laughs. “But I found myself called to medicine and, by the time I went to college, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
Dr. Procter is aware that bariatric procedures can be costly if a patient’s insurance doesn’t cover the treatment.
“I’m able to offer a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, gastric balloons and the vBLOC procedure at minimal cost at our outpatient bariatric center,” he says. “I want to do what-ever I can to help people afford the assistance they need to get healthy.
At the end of the day, Dr. Procter is all about helping people live healthier lives.
“Weight can be one of the most frustrating conditions for people to manage, especially when they have related conditions and issues,” he says “I love that I get to help them realize it isn’t their fault and that help is available.”
