Is it illegal for a Medical Assistant to perform Coolsculpting without supervison of a doctor or PA? Can I get my money back?

Question

I had Coolsculpting done on my abdomen and flanks. I was never examined by a doctor prior to the procedure only by the Medical Assistant. On the day of the procedure the doctor was not even in the office. Afterward I was very swollen, but was told it would go down after 3 wks. It's been over 3 months and my abdomen and back fat are larger than ever, I have even gone up a size (I look 4 months preg) I am now scheduled for a tummy tuck (another 9000). I am so depressed all I want is my money back.

Armando Soto, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi there-I'm very sorry to hear that you are not happy with your Coolsculpting treatment. The fact is that when patients aren't happy with what they get from Coolsuclpting it reflects poorly on not only the treatment, but also on all providers of the treatment...Having said that, there are so many variables that can affect the amount of success any individual patient achieves with Coolsculpting that it is not possible for me to responsibly or ethically (or even morally) offer an opinion of why you didn't get what you wanted from the procedure...Generally speaking, I think it is critical that all patients interested in Coolsculpting seek advice and treatment from a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who can appropriately offer them all reasonable options and alternatives- someone who has at their disposal all of the tools safe to use to improve the body contour. Equally important is finding a Coolsculpting Certified Center- this certification does matter. Finally, I think that it is important to find a center where your treatment will be supervised by an experienced and Board Certified Plastic Surgeon or a PA working with such a physician. Understanding that in your case it is now too late to take the above advice and you have already had a negative experience, I would say that it is probably safe to assume that the person who performed your treatment wants you to be happy and feel like you were treated fairly. Remembering that your satisfaction with how this situation is resolved will depend on your ability to communicate with them in a mutually respectful and open manner, I would advise you to go back to the office and explain your dissatisfaction. While a refund may not be possible (or reasonable), I think it's worth it for you to talk to them about how you can together find a happy ending

Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS · Answer

Sorry for your distress. Coolsculpting is a class 2 device which means that it is under medical supervision. The definition of medical supervision does differ from office to office. In our Center, I am more hands ont than other physicians who have machine in the area. I examine, consult, and mark all patients going for treatment. I am also present in the facility during the treatment for questions and will examine the results after treatment.

Sheryl D. Clark, MD, FAAD · Answer

To my knowledge, there is nothing "illegal" about having a medical assistant perform CoolSculpting without a physician examining you first.  However, you might feel slightly better about what has transpired had you been examined first.  It is possible that you are one of those extremely rare patients who, for reasons we don't understand, have developed hyperplasia of the fat after treatment. Or there may be medical reasons why you are now depositing fat around the waist.You should consider returning to the physician to be evaluated.  My understanding is that Zeltiq has financed liposuction for the few patients (out of more than 500,000) who have developed fat hyperplasia.

Dean P. Kane, MD, FACS · Answer

Proper and judicious evaluation for any medical
therapy requires a well experienced, board certified physician with the proper
referral system or personal armamentarium to offer you appropriate, safe and
efficacious options and care.

Different states have different regulations for
the use of medical technology. If the medical assistant is properly certified in the
use of CoolSculpting, certified by the state to provide this care, under the
supervision of a MD or DO and well experienced and you received conscientious,
good care; by all means, proceed. Please read the fine print. CoolSculpting is a non-surgical spot fat reduction procedure and NOT a weight loss therapy. You must do your part to change your lifestyle reducing calorie intake with diet  and increasing calorie output with exercise. The same is true with surgical procedures such as contouring liposuction or tummy tuck.Any procedure including surgery or non-surgical Cool Sculpting has limitations and side-effects. I find that patients who gain weight following any procedure have a greater chance of thickening fat fibrosis or the lumpiness you describe. This is a noted side-effect of Cool Sculpting. It will resolve over time and with weight loss and deep massage.

If you did not receive a complete evaluation for your concerns and the options to care for your desires, you should consider a board certified plastic surgeon with your health, safety and benefits as his primary concern.I hope this was helpful. All the best!

Is it illegal for a Medical Assistant to perform Coolsculpting without supervison of a doctor or PA? Can I get my money back?

Answers (4)

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