Bedside Manner Doesn't Matter: It's All About the Credentials

There are two major important factors to consider when choosing to have Liposuction or any other surgical procedure.

First, what are the qualifications of your surgeon? Board Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is the gold-standard for credentialing to perform cosmetic surgery of all types. When in doubt about the qualifications of your surgeon, you should ask whether he or she has privileges in your local hospital to perform a given procedure.

Contrary to the claims of equivalent training by the Dermatologists and Facial Plastic Surgeons, you will find that they DO NOT have privileges to perform these procedures in a hospital setting, and therefore can ONLY perform them in an outpatient surgical center.

Second, what is the environment in which your procedure will be performed? Plastic Surgeons certified by ABPS and members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons are obligated to perform surgery ONLY in a hospital or outpatient surgery center accredited by JCAHO, Medicare, AAAHC, AAAASF, or a state licensing authority.

You should ask to see the certificate under which the facility operates, to ensure that it is current. This implies that the facility meets accepted patient safety standards and is properly equipped to deal with emergencies.

A nice bedside manner is a bonus, but do your homework: check the credentials first.

Liposuction should be performed in an accredited surgical facility, not an office.  Many patients refer to an accredited surgical facility next to a doctor's office as the doctor's office, but there is a difference.

Accreditation of the surgical center means the surgery center is safe to perform surgery.  All the necessary emergency equipment is there.  All the emergency medications are there.  Monitoring of the heart and vital signs is there.  The surgery center has cleanliness standards and sterility standards.  There are filters in the ceiling to filter the air.  Every surgery requires an RN, a surgical technician.  Safety procedures are followed.  All these things cost money.  That is why surgery is more expensive in an accredited surgery center than a doctor's office.  If God forbid you have an allergic reaction, develop malignant hyperthermia, have a complication, you do not want to have any of these items missing.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure.  You may want to inquire if your surgeon is credentialed in a hospital to perform the surgery.  The hospital takes screening of physicians seriously and checks backgrounds, credentials, etc. before they issue operating room privileges. 

Is the surgeon performing the anesthesia himself or is there an anesthesiologist present?  The anesthesiologist's only job is your safety and your comfort.  He is equipped if an airway problem or allergic reaction results, or a complication results.

This is why board certification, accredited facilities, and proper anesthesia support are so important to patient safety. 

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Trust.

Choosing a plastic surgeon is as much about trust as it is about credentials.  Go with your hunch before committing to a particular procedure.  A well-qualified and board certified plastic surgeon will not cut corners to acheive results. 

Liposuction procedures are generally safe with minimal downtime and postoperative recovery.  Anesthesia type, surgical center, and physician technique are absolutely crucial factors in making a decision to pursue the procedure.

If you feel that you are not receiving the absolute best procedure, technique, and amenities, do not proceed with surgery.  Meticulous attention to detail defines my personal practice in Santa Monica, CA which is an absolute necessity to obtaining superior results.

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The facility in which you have your liposuction should be either AAAHC, AAAASF, JCAHO, or Medicare certified. All these accreditation organizations have strict guidelines to ensure you that the facility is up to the level of standard of care for surgeries. Hospitals have such a high risk of infections now days and often these infections are not suceptible to our common antibiotics.

Have your doc show you the op room and ask how long he has been doing the liposuction procedures and if he is board certified in either Dermatology, facial plastic surgery or general plastic surgery. A dermatologist invented the tumescent technique liposculpture but any physician can be good at a particular procedure with enough experience. This having been said, your rapport with your doc is also very important since he is the one you will be needing to ask all your questions and concerns to before, during and after the procedure. If you like his bedside manners, and his facility is certified and he is board certified and has years of experience then you are probably in good hands.

Good luck on your Liposuction!

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