|
|
|
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR DOCTOR Sometimes getting to know your surgeon may not be an easy task. The Web site author recommends that patients seek several opinions prior to having liposuction. When some new twist sounds too good to be true, run it by a couple of doctors who are proficient in the field and ask them their opinions. Unfortunately, some surgeons don't tell patients all the risks they are facing. Sometimes the most dangerous of all surgeons is the one who is overconfident and who tells the patient that there is absolutely no risk. A good surgeon will truthfully let the patient know the risks and will provide his own complication rates to the patient so that he/she may make his/her own decision when comparing surgeons. Sometimes in this electronic age it is easier to know a doctor who is 2,000 miles away than to know the doctor next door. Florida will publish most disciplinary actions and malpractice judgments against physicians and surgeons, however many states and the AMA do not for legal reasons. It is now possible to look up the malpractice claims history of a Florida doctor. There are several web sites in Florida that will allow you to gain access to the insurance files of plastic surgeons. (Go to http://www.fldfs.com/Data/Liability/byname.asp or www.doi.state.fl.us and follow the link for "malpractice complaints" or "Professional Liability Closed Claims Search" to search for claims paid by the surgeon's malpractice insurance.) It is worthwhile to note that some surgeons who tout their wares heavily on TV and in the media are not so busy from patient referrals because they have been sued several times. Remember, board-certified plastic surgeons rarely testify much against another board-certified plastic surgeon making it is very difficult for an injured patient to bring suit against them. It is possible that the presence of even a single suit as a board-certified plastic surgeon may be indicative of a lack of skill.
One thing that you should look for in a doctor is whether or not he/she has trained at a reputable U.S. medical school. Many doctors train in exotic places; for example, Mexico and the Virgin Islands. Not all of these doctors are bad but such training usually indicates that their grades or something kept them from getting into a U.S. mainland medical school, something that is not really all that hard to do. Additionally, one should look for proper residency training, which takes place in a hospital in which the doctor learns under the tutelage of other prominent doctors. Watch out for doctors who did their "residency" training in private doctors' offices; this is a bastardization of the term. The term residency was not intended to describe training outside of medical centers and medical schools. Office based "residencies" do not allow for proper standardization of medical education, and one cannot be sure that the doctor is properly trained under these circumstances. Some of the best doctors tend to lecture and publish. If other doctors want to hear a given doctor is saying, it is likely that that doctor may have some good ideas. Unfortunately, lecturing does not guarantee that the doctor is a good surgeon. A person who can tell a good story does not necessarily have to be adept with his/her hands. Additionally, many doctors are like politicians, buying and selling favors and friendships to be invited to give lectures especially those funded/sponsored by drug companies or the medical equipment industry. Hobbies may indicate that a doctor has some level of skill or coordination. These days almost every doctor who is involved in plastic surgery likes to call himself/herself an "artist." It is almost to the point of being an expected "buzz word." Ask the surgeon to show you some of the actual art that he/she has drawn or created. This will indicate the surgeon's level of skill. Ask the surgeon if he/she has won any art contests; this may also indicate the level of skill in artistry. Most accepted artists have shown their work in galleries. Is your surgeon is proficient at some kind of sport? This may indicate a significant level of hand-eye coordination. There are plenty of board-certified plastic surgeons who have passed tests and who have unfortunately crawled to the top of the political ladder (residency training pyramid) in order to gain their positions; yet, these doctors may be relatively uncoordinated in dealing with the physical works. Lack of coordination may show up when it comes to sewing, cutting or handling a patient's tissue. Ask if any of the staff has had a surgical procedure performed by the doctor in whose services you are interested. Most staff will not allow an incompetent doctor to work on them and choose instead to merely assist and watch the other patients have their surgeries.
|
Click here
to Contact the Author
|
