Top Doctors List - Does It Really Matter?

Hi there! I hope you are having a good day. I am interested in a Breast Augmentation and I am looking around for surgeons in my area (Seattle WA or King County). How important is it that the doctor gets mentioned in one those "Top Doctors" lists? (Seattle Mag, Customer's Choice Awards, etc.) Is there one list that is more, or less, reliable than others? Should this have any weight in my decision making, in addition to verifying board certification? Do you have any recommendations? Thank you!

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18 Doctor Answers | Asked by Sophiane in Kirkland WA

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Top Doctors List

The single most important thing to look for when searching for a doctor to perform a breast augmentation is that he is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Some "top doctors" lists are good, others are not. It is difficult to know how some lists are made. From El Paso.

Top doctor's lists

Depends on the source. These lists are highly variable in their quality and accuracy. Some are paid advertisements while others are peer-recommendations. Find an ASAPS or ASPS member, interview them, review their before and after pictures, and do your research. Take your time. Don't make a selection based solely on price. And always have your surgery in an accredited facility with an MD anesthesiologist or CRNA in attendance.

Top Doctors List - Does It Really Matter?

There are two important thing to look for when searching for a plastic surgeon. The first is whether the surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. There are many boards out there, but the ABPS is the only one recognized by the Board of Medical Specialties for Plastic and Reconstructive surgeons. The second is referrals from other patients. Word of mouth advertising is still the best way to get a sense of the quality of work. As for top doctor lists, some... more

How is the Top Doc List compiled?

I think the most important criteria in choosing your plastic surgeon is board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and recommendations from previous patients. A great question to ask your surgeon is what percentage of your business is from patient or doctor referrals? In regards to Top Doc Lists, I recommend that you be very skeptical. Very rarely are these lists compiled based on patient or peer review. They tend to be viewed more as a... more

Picking Your Plastic Surgeon

I concur with my colleagues here. More important than any top docs list is the surgeon's credentials/experience: it is imperative you visit with an American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) member plastic surgeon who is certified specifically by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Ultimately you need to feel confident & comfortable with your surgeon and his staff. Best of luck.

Board Certification

I agree. It is of utmost importance that you are seen by a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Once that is established, it is important that you find a doctor that you feel comfortable with. Talk to some of their patients to see if they were happy with their results.

Top Doc's for a price

The best way to tell a doctor's qualifications is to look at board certification in a real ABMS board, society memberships and hospital privileges. Is his facility safe and accredited? Top Doc lists are just marketing.

Value of Top Doc Lists

In reality, you will find many different responses on this topic depending on whether or not the individual physician has been named in a Top Doc list. In my town, there is a particular list that is compiled every year that, unfortunately, is an absolute joke. There have been ophthalmologists in the Plastic Surgeon category, etc. Now that issue has been fixed but the doctors who are named are named because they are on specific hospital staff and not specifically for... more

"Top Docs" Lists

At least in Houston, we have a number of lists that contain well-qualified surgeons and also some less experienced individuals. I lost faith in those, however, when they placed a Dermatologist under the "Top Plastic and Reconstructive Doctors" list !

Top Doctors Lists

Talking about the "Top Doctor's Lists" is a difficult subject. If you are on them it sounds as if you are bragging and if you are not it sounds as if you are envdious. The problem is that there is no definitive list with an proven method of reassuring quality.