What is the standard for taking pre-op photos?

Question

Is it standard practice for a cosmetic surgeon's office to take preop pictures? Is not taking pictures unusual? And if picture are taken is storing them on a photo card that is not part of the patient's chart typical?

Danielle S. Hayes, MD · Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question. Yes, it is standard practice for cosmetic surgery offices to take preoperative photographs. These images are important for surgical planning, documenting results, and, in some cases, for board certification requirements. Photographs are often stored directly in the patient’s medical record, but some practices also use secure external photo storage systems or encrypted photo cards that are designed to comply with HIPAA privacy standards. Both approaches can be appropriate as long as the images are stored securely and patient confidentiality is maintained.

Laura Roider, MD · Answer

Every practice has different policies around photos and photo storage. However, I would say it is universally standard to take pre-op and post-op photos. This allows your surgeon to plan for the procedure and track your recovery. 
Photo storage is different in every practice. Often times, photos are taken on a camera and then transferred into your patient chart (digitally or paper). However, this process varies. 
If you are uncomfortable with the process or have questions. I recommend you discuss them with your surgeons practice and ask them to explain how your photos are used and where they are stored.

What is the standard for taking pre-op photos?

Answers (2)

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