Methodist Bariatric Surgeons

Dignity Health’s skilled and compassionate bariatric surgeons are part of a multidisciplinary team that will support you throughout your weight loss surgery experience.

Our surgeons are highly trained in their field. Many of them received advanced fellowship training as part of their education and have worked on research projects to improve the future of weight loss surgery. It is important to get to know your bariatric surgeon and understand the treatment options available to you.

Get to know our Bariatric Surgeons

Ruby Gatschet, MD

Dr. Gatschet earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania prior to attending medical school at the University of Massachusetts. Her surgical training includes a general surgery residency and a dedicated fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery with University of California, San Francisco and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery Associates in Fresno, CA. Dr. Gatschet was awarded the UCSF Fresno Department of Surgery Award for Excellence in Medical Student Teaching three years in a row. Dr. Gatschet believes in providing first-class care to her patients with compassion and integrity, and strives to continually improve and perfect all aspects of medical management both inside and outside of the operating room. She performs the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, revision surgery, and many other general surgical procedures robotically and laparoscopically. She is board certified in general surgery, and a member of the Society of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the American Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgeons.

Rana Khan, MD

Dr. Khan is a board certified general surgeon who attended medical school at Dow Health Sciences University. He received his general surgery training at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He attended an advanced GI and bariatric surgery fellowship at McMaster University. He also has a special interest in surgical endoscopy procedures including endobariatric procedures. Dr. Khan is a current member of both the American Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery and Society of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. He is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He performs robotic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, revision surgery and sleeve gastrectomy.

Laura Machado, MD

Dr. Machado is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon from the program at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. Dr. Machado completed her medical education at the University of California, San Diego, followed by a surgical residency at the University of California, Davis Medical Center. She received advanced laparoscopic bariatric training at Montefiore Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery and is an active member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, as well as a participating surgeon in LABS (Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery), an NIH research project. Dr. Machado performs minimally invasive laparoscopic gastric bypass, Lap Band® and REALIZE adjustable gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy and revisional bariatric procedures.

Steven Patching, MD

Dr. Patching is a former medical director of bariatric surgery and former chief of surgery in Sacramento. He attended medical school at the University of California, Davis, and is considered a pioneer in minimally invasive procedures. He is credited with performing the first Intuitive XI robotic surgery in California, and since 1986, has specialized in bariatric surgery, hernia surgery, and other advanced procedures. Together with his team, he created an Advanced Bariatric Center with its own unique patient process and was awarded a ‘Level 5 Center of Excellence (the highest possible ranking) for bariatric care from the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Patching was the first bariatric surgeon in the U.S. to be certified by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He performs sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass bariatric surgery, revision surgery, hernia surgery, gallbladder surgery, as well as complex esophageal and gastric procedures robotically.