It’s a good idea to go to your first consultation with your plastic surgeon with questions in hand.
Your consultation is the time to get to know your surgeon. Not only do you want to ask questions about the procedure, see before and after photos and inquire about your results and other considerations, but you want to gauge your comfort level with your potential plastic surgeon.
Attending your appointment with a list of questions helps ensure you don’t forget to ask anything and get all of your questions answered. It also helps build a level of trust with your doctor.
We’ve put together five questions to ask your plastic surgeon. These are perhaps the most important, but feel free to add your own questions to the list before your consultation.
#1: What Are Your Qualifications?
The trust between you and your plastic surgeon is vital. Ask about your doctor’s experience, especially with the procedure you are considering.
You also want to ask about your doctor’s certifications. Ask about the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
In addition, ask your plastic surgeon to speak about his or her training.
#2: How Often Have You Done This Procedure?
You want to know if your doctor is skilled in the procedure you’re considering. This helps you feel confident that you’ve chosen the right surgeon.
Ask to see the surgeon’s before and after photos.
#3: What Are the Potential Risks?
Surgery comes with the potential for complications. Your doctor should thoroughly explain these to you.
If your doctor promises you a risk-free procedure, this should give you pause, as there is no such surgery.
Make sure you leave your meeting knowing the possible risks and complications so you can make your decision.
#4: Where Will You Do the Surgery?
You want to know where your surgery will take place. Will it be in the doctor’s office, a certified surgery center, or a local hospital? Will your doctor have the best instruments and staff as well as access to emergency medical attention?
You deserve the highest standard of safety and technical expertise. Along with your physician’s outstanding credentials and experience, you want to know your outpatient surgical facility is fully accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care and the State of Kansas.
In addition, ask your doctor who they will use for anesthesia. To further ensure the highest standard of safety for your procedure, find out if the people providing your anesthesia are properly credentialed and supervised by a board-certified anesthesiologist.
Wondering about certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA)? Nurse anesthetists have been providing anesthesia care to patients in the United States for more than 150 years. Fully credentialed CRNA anesthesia providers are supervised by board-certified anesthesiologists and fully accredited to provide your care.
#5: Do You Have Hospital Privileges?
If you need to be admitted to the hospital, it’s good to know if your plastic surgeon can continue treating you. You will feel more comfortable because he or she knows your medical history and the specifics of your procedure.
Your Consultation Checklist
You’ll have the best results from your plastic surgery if you have open communication with your plastic surgeon as you both work to achieve your realistic goals.
To help you both determine whether plastic surgery is the right choice for you, here is a checklist of questions to ask at your consultation:
- Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, or are you board-eligible?
- Are you a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons? If not, when will you be?
- Were you trained specifically in the field of plastic surgery?
- How many years of plastic surgery training have you had?
- Do you have hospital privileges to perform this procedure? If so, at which hospitals?
- Is the office-based surgical facility accredited by a nationally- or state-recognized accrediting agency, or is it state-licensed or Medicare-certified?
- How many procedures of this type have you performed?
- Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
- Where and how will you perform my procedure?
- How long of a recovery period can I expect, and what kind of help will I need during my recovery?
- What are the risks and complications associated with my procedure?
- How are complications handled?
- What are my options if I am dissatisfied with the outcome of my surgery?
- Do you have before-and-after photos I can look at for each procedure and what results are reasonable for me?
To Conclude
Plastic surgery involves many choices. The most important is selecting a surgeon you can trust.
The three plastic surgeons at the Plastic Surgery Center in Wichita are all exceptionally qualified to perform your cosmetic or reconstructive procedure. Dr. Amy Sprole, Dr. Nataliya Biskup, and Dr. Joe Spaniol all offer a full spectrum of aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, breast, and body. You can be confident you are in the care of a highly-trained surgeon you can trust.
Make sure your plastic surgery is either board-certified or board eligible by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the only validated accrediting body for plastic surgeons.
When you come to your consultation, bring these questions with you, along with any others you might have. You can expect your plastic surgeon to answer your questions and provide you with the information you need to make a final decision about your plastic surgery.
If you’re interested in talking with a board-certified plastic surgeon, you can request a consultation with the Plastic Surgery Center or call us today at 316-688-7500 to learn about your options.
