Can I Request a Hospital Stay?

If you are concerned about postop recovery, I would encourage you to have the procedure at a hospital or surgery center where you can stay overnight.  This has been the traditional way to recover from this procedure and only in recent years have outpatient tummy tucks become popular.   In addition, if you are having significant amount of fascial tightening, a hospital recovery may be worth it since your discomfort will be increased.

Excellent question! I encourage most of my full tummy tuck patient's to spend an evening in the hospital. In Boca Raton, our hospital has a wonderful "VIP" floor which allows for a quiet night's rest but with the added security of excellent and available nursing. Assistance with getting out of bed, managing drains, assuring proper positioning, and the use of a pain pump all reduce patient anxiety about that "first night after surgery." The cost for an overnight stay is very reasonable. By all means, when you do consult with surgeons, be sure you feel comfortable with the facility they operate prior to booking your surgery.

Hello,
Thank you for the question.  You may have your tummy tuck in a hospital and stay overnight but I would encourage your plastic surgeon to pre arrange if possible cash prices for both your surgery and your overnight stay as the regular price of doing is astronomical.  An accredited surgery center has all of the same policies, procedures, and equipment as a hospital.  Since a hospital thus far less cosmetic procedures than a surgery center they are likely to have less experience with these type of cases.
All the best,
Dr Remus Repta

First, it is important to have a consultation in which your concerns about office based surgery can be addressed in specifics. Try to identify what concerns you: is it safety, having backup anesthesiologists available, sterility, etc.? Let me also point out that there is another option, which is a free standing ambulatory surgery center, not a private doctor's office. There is a major cost differential between surgery in the hospital and in an ambulatory center; I would estimate at least $2500 difference with an overnight stay. It is also important for you to check on how your state regulates facilities. I would not recommend any surgery under general anesthesia except in a Joint Commission or AAAASF accredited facility.

Your concerns are very legitimate. This degree of surgery should be done in a certified surgical center or hospital. An overnight stay is available at either, but is generally much less expensive at an ambulatory surgical center. At our ASC you have two RNs stay with you overnight for an additional $650. This is a great way to recover as you still have your IV for extra medication and qualified personal at all times.

 

Ask for friends and do research on your surgeon as this is a key factor to your health and outcome. Good luck.