Orange County Plastic Surgery

Newport Beach - Orange County

plastic surgery patient education questions for plastic surgeons

What Questions Should I Ask During My Consultation?

This page is provided by our office to you as an outline for researching cosmetic procedures and choosing the right plastic surgeon. If you have scheduled other consultations, take this along with you as a guide. Click here to print the plastic surgery consultation questions and answers.

Click on each question to read the answer you should expect.

  1. Are you board certified?
  2. Which board? Is it the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
  3. Do you have hospital privileges to perform this surgery?
  4. Which hospital(s)?
  5. How many procedures of this type have you performed?
  6. Where will you perform my surgery?
  7. Is the surgical facility accredited?
  8. What are the specific risks involved with my procedure?
  9. How long of a recovery period can I expect, and what kind of help will I need during my recovery?
  10. Will I need to take time off work? If so, how long?
  11. How much will the procedure cost?
  12. Are there financing options available?

The Answers You Should Expect:

1. The answer to this question should be "Yes"! Be aware that "board eligible" does not mean board certified.

2. If the answer to question #1 is yes, be sure to ask which board certified the doctor. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is recognized by the parent organization, the American Board of Medical Specialties, as the only Board that governs training surgeons exclusively in the art and science of plastic surgery. Some doctors claim to be board certified by organizations that sound like the American Board of Plastic Surgery. One example is the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery. This is not an officially recognized board and anyone claiming to be board certified by this organization has not had the same rigorous training and testing as those doctors that have been certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Fellowships are not the same as board certification. Fellowships are not regulated, monitored or standardized in any way to ensure the physician meets a minimum competency.

3. The medical staff office at each hospital is required to research the credentials for every doctor that applies to be a member of the staff. In addition, doctors that wish to perform surgery at the hospital or one of its outpatient satellite facilities are usually proctored. Proctoring means the doctor wishing to have hospital privileges goes through an observation period and is graded by other doctors, prior to being granted full staff privileges. If the doctor you are considering already has hospital privileges to perform the type of surgery you desire, it means he has demonstrated a level of skill and competency that meets the hospital standards.

4. Ask to which hospital(s) your doctor belongs. You can call the Medical Staff Office at that hospital and confirm the information.

5. There is not a universal answer for this question. It is difficult to provide the number of cases a surgeon should perform to become "competent" to perform a particular procedure. Some plastic surgery procedures require more experience to become proficient and skilled. The best way to get an idea is to ask to see before- and after- photographs or to speak with patients that have had similar procedures.

6. Many doctors have an operating room as a part of their office suite. This is often simply a matter of convenience for the surgeon. However, it can also mean that they have not obtained privileges to perform the procedure at a certified outpatient facility or hospital. (See #3 above).

Dr. Hendricks has your utmost safety in mind, and will perform your procedure in one of the four fully accredited outpatient surgery facilities in the Newport Beach area which are staffed only by well-qualified board certified anesthesiologists.

7. There are two major organizations that accredit surgery facilities. Both groups follow strict government standards for cleanliness and safety. If the surgery facility is affiliated with a hospital it must by law be fully accredited. If you are considering a procedure in a physician's office, ask if the doctor's operating facility is accredited and by which organization.

8. The answer to this question will depend upon the procedure performed. Your physician should outline the known risks associated with the procedure you are considering. Should a complication occur, remember that physicians certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery are well trained not only in plastic surgical procedures, but are also knowledgeable and trained to treat a wide variety of minor complications, so that they do not become major problems.

9. Again, this depends on the type and extent of your procedure. You should plan carefully, so that you give your body enough time to recover properly. Remember, even though you may be in good overall health, no-one has super-human powers when it comes to healing after plastic surgery or any other type of surgical procedure.

10. This is determined by the type of procedure that you have performed. It is important to clearly outline your time-frame to your surgeon so that you don't plan too little recovery time. We suggest procedures on Thursday or Friday so that you may recover over an extended weekend and return to work the following Monday. Lesser procedures will allow you to return to work the same or the next day.

11. The cost of any plastic surgery procedure has three components: the surgeon's fee, the anesthesiologist fee and the operating room fee. When you are comparing costs between different physician's offices, be sure you are including all three components when making comparisons. Also, remember that you can always find someone who will perform your procedure for less money. However, a complication that occurs when a less expensive surgeon has performed your procedure is never a bargain, regardless of how much money you saved.

12. Most plastic surgeons offer financing options for plastic surgery procedures. Our office has three different programs for financing. Finance rates are determined by the amount financed and your credit history. Finance program applications can be submitted by phone or through the company web-site. Our web site has the telephone numbers and direct links to apply, and approvals are given instantly.

 

Pacifica Cosmetic Surgery Center
Douglas Hendricks, MD, FACS
280 Newport Center Drive, Suite 120
Newport Beach, CA 92660

Email Us or call us at 949.640.9570 to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Hendricks.

Newport Beach plastic surgeon Douglas L. Hendricks, MD, FACS. Centrally located to provide cosmetic surgery for patients in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine and all of Orange County.

Newport Beach Cosmetic Surgery - image of model

Patient Comments

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