Gastrointestinal symptoms 5 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

patterns in resource utilization and understand linkages with reimbursement. Results: A total of 23,679 patients underwent bariatric surgery in CY 2012. 96% of the patients had an office visit pre-surgery (6 visits per patient) and 88% had a visit post-surgery (7.1 visits per patient). Blood work was done for 89% patients pre-surgery (14.1 codes per patient) and 81% patients post-surgery (22.8 codes per patient). 18% patients had a code for nutritional therapy presurgery and 9% had the code post-surgery. 44% patients had a psychological counseling pre-surgery (2.5 visits per patient) and 8% post-surgery (8.4 visits per patient). Cardiovascular, pulmonary and sleep monitoring was more common pre-surgery (71%, 17%, 17% patients, respectively). 12% patients had an ER visit pre-surgery while 26% patients had ER visit post surgery and 4% patients had a hospital visit. Table 1 further highlights the data. Conclusion: Healthcare utilization in the form of blood work, physician visits, psychological counseling, and nutritional therapy is common but not consistent among bariatric patients. Payment for such procedures / services may be out-of-pocket or bundled with other reimbursed services like office visits. Lack of coverage of some services may lead to barriers of care. This offers opportunities to develop standardized protocol for preand postsurgical care and appropriate coding, coverage and reimbursement of procedures / services.