What you need to know/do to choose your Plastic Surgeon
- Check with your provincial college of physicians and surgeons to ensure your potential surgeon is licensed and whether disciplinary action has been taken against him/her.
- Membership with the CSPS confirms that your surgeon has the proper training required to perform Plastic Surgery.
- Being “board-certified.” is not the be all and end all. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons is the only organization in Canada that can certify physicians and surgeons in medical specialties.
- How often has the surgeon performed the procedure you want? Is the surgeon experienced or has experienced surgeons supporting him/her?
- Does your abdominoplasty surgeon in Toronto have hospital admitting privileges? Obviously no one wants complications. But if they do arise you want your surgeon to be prepared. Call the hospital to verify the information given to you by your surgeon on this topic. Is the operating facility within the surgeon’s office, if he/she has one, certified?
- Know the probability of complication and what will happen if complications arise. Make sure you are thoroughly briefed.
- Make sure the surgeon has medical malpractice insurance through the Canadian Medical Protective Association. Again, no one wants to use this. However, preparation is good.
- Focus on the surgeons ability to provide quality results.
- Results guarantees are impossible. Move on from the surgeon who guarantees results and/or minimizes the risks. Those who tend to provide overly optimistic recovery time numbers are not worth your time either.
- Don’t get sucked into additional procedures; regardless of what is said to you. Stay focused on your original intentions. Move on to another surgeon if the surgeon you are interviewing is pushing upsells.
- The nurses, anesthesiologists and other support staff should be properly certified and experienced as well.
- Read the patient consent form carefully before signing it and have your surgeon explain any parts that are unclear.
- Be comfortable with your selection. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.
Good luck.