Dr. Ron Elli, Ph. D., is the president and founder of Mexico Bariatric Center® (MBC) and Mexico Cosmetic Center® (MCC). He is an award-winning businessman from Northern California at the forefront of global healthcare. Dr. Elli is a long-standing expert in the Mexican medical tourism sector.
Ron Elli has been involved in medical tourism since 2007, helping patients undergo quality, low-cost healthcare alternatives. He has mainly worked with bariatric surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and stem cell therapy in Mexico.
In 2012, Dr. Elli launched Mexico Bariatric Center®, a top-rated bariatric program worldwide. He has assembled one of the best teams of board-certified bariatric surgeons in Mexico, with over 20 years of experience and 20,000 surgeries. Dr. Elli has led the Hospital Azar project, one of the region’s best bariatric and plastic facilities.
Ron has dedicated his life to providing world-class surgical treatments at surprisingly affordable prices to patients from the United States, Canada, Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and worldwide.
Ron Elli at Hospital Azar Project – April of 2024
Setting Standards in the Medical Tourism Industry
Before his online medical marketing company, he owned and operated one of the largest Internet service providers in El Dorado, Placer, and Sacramento counties.
Dr. Ron Elli’s first interest in applied medicine came when he researched coughing in pulmonary airways and modeled human airways for his master’s thesis.
He is a true pioneer in destination surgery, raising the bar with safety standards and quality healthcare. In 2021, Ron started the project Hospital Azar to better patients’ safety and experience.
Ron is well-respected in the medical tourism industry because of his trustworthiness and transparency at Mexico Bariatric Center.
Qualifications and Credentials
Dr. Elli is a Medical Tourism Association (MTA) member and has been a Certified Medical Tourism Professional since 2013.
Due to Dr. Elli’s efforts, Mexico Bariatric Center has created a vast network of doctors and surgeons in Tijuana who are considered experts in their field.
His passion and primary goal in creating Mexico Bariatric Center is to see patients change their lives and achieve optimal well-being. He has also put together an aftercare program to support patients post-surgery for healthy lifestyle changes and long-term success.
Ron Elli regularly attends national and international obesity-related events, congresses, and meetings. Obesity Week, IFSO, Obesity Help, Medical Tourism Association, and Health Tourism Congress, to name a few. MBC surgeons and staff are committed to the latest developments and are on the cutting edge of bariatrics. Dr. Elli recently attended the 2017 Obesity Week in Washington, D.C.
As a part of his wellness tourism efforts, Dr. Elli has also created plastic, cosmetic, and reconstructive surgery medical tourism in Mexico. Mexico Cosmetic Center (MCC), working with board-certified plastic surgeons, has been providing body reshaping and rejuvenation services to patients from across the globe.
MCC offers popular Mommy Makeover, Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift/Reduction, Lipo/Laser Lipo/Vaser Lipo, Facelift, Arm Lift, Thigh Lift, Brazilian Butt Lift, and skin removal for patients with weight loss.
Hosting Bariatric Seminars and Webinars
Dr. Ron Elli has held live seminars and webinars to educate patients about the benefits of weight-loss surgery since 2015. Alongside Dr. Alejandro Gutierrez, Dr. Miguel Montalvo, Dr. Jacqueline Osuna, and Dr. Jesus Ceja, he covers the surgical treatment option to cure obesity for patients beyond borders.
Dr. Elli has already traveled to:
- New Zealand: Auckland, Palmerston North, and Christchurch. Montreal
- Canada; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; OKC, Oklahoma; Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana
- Australia
- See the complete list
Education and Studies by Dr. Ron Elli, Ph.D
In 2002, Ron earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis (UCD) in “Numerical Modeling of High-Speed Flow over Surface Humps.” Dr. Ron Elli has been cited in NASA NTRS publications, ASME, and other prominent journals (you can see Dr. Elli’s articles and presentations at SOURCiS, Inc.).
Dr. Ron Elli was profiled in Sacramento, CA Business Journal as one of the most successful regional CEOs. Dr. Elli appeared in series of NowMedia TV podcasts with Bryan Fetzer (Game Changer), Dr. Yassir Sonbol (Real Medicine, Real Lives), and Dr. Andrew Sun (Naked Conversation).
While working as a researcher at the University of Nevada, Reno, he modeled coughing in human airways. Dr. Elli’s research on Flow Resistance in Pulmonary Airways was published in the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering.
My journey from the world of engineering to the complex landscape of global healthcare was a natural evolution, rooted in my early research and ultimately in my passion to see people succeed in reclaiming their lives.
- Engineering Foundation: My entry into “applied medicine” began during my academic career. My master’s thesis in biomechanical engineering on “Coughing and Flow Resistance in Pulmonary Airways,” and a Ph.D. in Numerical Modeling from UC Davis, which honed my skills in analyzing complex systems.
- The Shift to Global Healthcare: After 15 years in engineering, software, and consulting, I was drawn to the medical tourism industry in 2007 by the Obesity Epidemic and the lack of accessible bariatric surgery in the U.S. and Canada.
- Leadership in Healthcare: This led to the launch of Mexico Bariatric Center® (MBC) in 2012, where I applied my engineering mindset to medical tourism, focusing on systemic problem solving, standardization, and safety protocols to help patients find affordable, high-quality care abroad.
In many ways, I still think like an engineer; I just transitioned from modeling pulmonary flow to modeling a safer, more transparent pathway for patients seeking life-changing surgery across borders.
Are Dr. Elli or Dr. V certified for EGS or currently training ? Thanks
Our surgeons are certified and perform ESG: https://mexicobariatriccenter.com/bariatric-surgeons/
When will the new hospital be open?
Hi John, we have no set date yet but we are hoping this year. Thank you for your patience :)
Board certified? Seems bariatic surgery is his specialty…I’m looking for facial rejuvenation.
Hi Lori, Ron Elli also founded and leads our sister company, Mexico Cosmetic Center, which works with board-certified plastic surgeons and offers facial rejuvenation. You can learn more about our plastic surgeons and cosmetic procedures at: https://mexicobariatriccenter.com/best-plastic-surgeons-in-mexico/