Doctor Consultation Questionnaire

Why can a psychiatrist offer Botox, an oral surgeon market breast reductions, or an ER doctor provide liposuction surgery?  Any medical doctor in the United States can call themselves a "cosmetic surgeon" and offer cosmetic procedure services regardless of training or experience.

How do you determine who to pick for a cosmetic procedure?  We consulted the RealSelf Editorial Advisory Panel to create a list of questions to ask your doctor or clinic before allowing them to work on you.

Name of Practice ___________________________

Name of Doctor_____________________________

Phone  ________________________

I called on  _____________________

1) Are you Board Certified?  

   YES (Which board?) ________________________  
   NO 

   Does this board represent the type of procedure I want?
        ABPS  ABFPRS  ABD  ABOto  ABO 

   YES
   NO

2) Did you do a residency and/or fellowship for this type of procedure?

   YES
   NO (What training to do you have for this procedure?)
           _____________________________________________________

3) Do you perform this procedure on a regular basis?  

   YES (How often?) __________________________
   NO

4) Can I see before and after photos of your patients?  

   YES
   NO (Why not?) _______________________

5) Are your State and Board records free from disciplinary events? 

   YES 
   NO (Please explain) ___________________________

6) Will you (the doctor) be performing this procedure him/herself?   

   YES
   NO (Who will?) ______________________________

If you answered “NO” to 2 or more of these questions, your doctor may not be a specialist for the cosmetic procedure you desire.  Consider moving on with your search.

For surgical procedures, also ask:

7)  Do you have hospital privileges for this procedure?

  YES (Which hospital?)___________________________
   NO

8)  Is this procedure performed in a:       

Hospital?    
Outpatient surgery center?    
Office?
Office-based surgery center?

  NO                    None of the above

       If office or surgery center, is it (circle one or more) 

Licensed by the state?         
Certified by Medicare?
And/or accredited by:  JCAHO  /  AAAASF  /  AAAHC?   

  NO                 None of the above

9)  Can I speak with a previous patient who had this procedure?

   YES
   NO

10)  Is the anesthesiologist Board-Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology?  

   YES
   NO (What are their qualifications?) _____________________________________

If you’ve circled “NO” for any of these questions, you may be incurring additional risks.  Make sure that you are comfortable with your surgeon, their staff, and the facility before proceeding.

Other Helpful Questions

• Do you think my goals are realistic? If no, why not? 
• How often do patients having this surgery require revision?  What is your revision policy?
• In case of an emergency during surgery in outpatient center/office, what procedures do you have in place?