Nurse practitioner instead of surgeon for consult. Is this normal or a bad sign?

Question

Hi! I called my plastic surgeons office to schedule a consult and they said if I see a NP for the consult I can get the surgery sooner (June) and I can come in person to see the NP. If I want to wait to see the surgeon then he doesn't have any opening for consults until July and all of his consults are virtual, no in person consults available for him. Is this normal or a bad sign? He's board certified and has good reviews on here as well as yelp, Google etc and great before and afters.

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

Hello, thank you for your question. It sounds like you have done your research on the clinic which is good. In a busy practice its pretty common to have a health care team of people including advanced practitioners to perform consultations, phone-calls and follow ups. They have become essential to most practices these days. The initial consultation with a NP or PA can be a good start, to discuss what you really want goals and possibilities for your anatomy and risks associated with that surgery. This  can save the surgeon a lot of time when you actually see them to go over any questions. Usually in a busy practice the Plastic Surgeon likes to spend most of their practice time doing what they love doing the most; performing surgeries. Of course there is also a level of trust ensured by the surgeon onto the NP and PA. At our practice, we utilize a nurse for consultations and then the surgeon will see patients the week or two prior to review everything. Of course the surgeon is the one performing the surgery.

Irena Karanetz, MD · Answer

Hello,
Thank you for the question.
Nurse practitioners and physicians assistants often help surgeons during consultations, which is totally normal. However, I would make sure that you are seen and examined in person by the Plastic Surgeon who will be performing your procedure for the best cosmetic results prior to actual surgery.
I hope this helps.Best regards, Dr. Karanetz
Dr. Irena KaranetzBreast Fellowship-TrainedBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

Ted Eisenberg, DO, FACOS, FAACS · Answer

I recommend an in person consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss your goals and be measured. After I measure and discuss goals with my patients, we then look at pictures of women (my patients) with similar measurements with different size and style breast implants and they choose what looks right for them. They also get to see what they would look like when the breasts have fully dropped and fluffed and in clothes. You get to see actual results and the surgeon's experience and not a virtual idea of what can be achieved. Women tell me that this process is very helpful in determining what size and style breast implant is right for them. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Brian K. Reedy, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question! This is 100% your decision. I prefer to see all of my patients in-person for consultations, but not everyone runs their practice the same. I do think it is important to have a certain level of comfort with a surgeon but also their office. Perhaps you could go to the consultation and feel it out for yourself. Good luck!

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

I personally want to see all my potential patients in person or on Skype and consult with them for about an hour to answer their concerns and questions and to recommend the procedures I think would provide the results they are seeking. At the end of the one-hour consultation, I provide them with a quote for their consideration.

Nurse practitioner instead of surgeon for consult. Is this normal or a bad sign?

Answers (10)

Answer: Consult with NP

Answer: Consult with NP

Answer: Nurse practitioner instead of surgeon for consult. Is this normal or a bad sign?

Answer: Nurse practitioner instead of surgeon for consult. Is this normal or a bad sign?

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Nurse practitioner instead of surgeon for consult. Is this normal or a bad sign?

Answers (10)

Answer: Consult with NP

Answer: Consult with NP

Answer: Nurse practitioner instead of surgeon for consult. Is this normal or a bad sign?

Answer: Nurse practitioner instead of surgeon for consult. Is this normal or a bad sign?

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Breast Augmentation

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.