The Right Choice

It is common for prospective patients considering plastic surgery to interview several surgeons before making a decision. Such comparison is a valuable process. To enable you to compare "apples" with "apples" and not "oranges," we provide the following worksheet.

Complete it for each surgeon and facility you consider. Verify safety and certification factors which insure your ultimate protection.

Small differences in fee quotations between surgeons may actually represent major differences in your safety—both during surgery and in the recovery room.

Should an emergency occur, you'll want to know the medical team has the skills and equipment needed. The importance of having a highly-qualified medical team and a certified facility cannot be overestimated.

Surgeon:

Name: ____________________________________

Board Certified in: ___________________________

Contact the American Board of Medical Specialists to verify certification at: www.abms.org. To check for disciplinary action against a California-licensed physician, contact the American Board of Medical Specialists at: www.medbd.ca.gov.

Anesthesia:

MD Anesthesiologist

Certified Nurse Anesthetist

Surgeon and Nurse

Surgeon Only

Surgery Facility:
Accreditation

Medicare

State

AAAAPSF

(Ask to see the Operating and Recovery Room.)

Operating Room:
Monitoring Systems

EKG

Pulse Oximetry

Blood Pressure

Capnograph (CO2)

Recovery Room:
Monitoring Systems

EKG

Pulse Oximetry

Blood Pressure

Recovery Room:
Who will be present with you?

Degree: R.N.

CPR current

Advanced Cardiac Support

Does the person have other responsibilities elsewhere in the office at the same time?

Yes

No

(The highest levels of certification require a Registered Nurse (R.N.) who has current CPR, and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications. The R.N. should not have any other duties while a patient is in the Recovery Room.)

Emergency Procedures:
How does the surgery facility handle a medical emergency? (Make sure the facility has a "crash cart" with the medications and equipment to handle a life-threatening emergency.)

Yes

No

Does the surgeon have transfer privileges at a nearby hospital?

Yes

No

Such privileges enable the surgeon to admit you to the hospital in the event of an emergency.

Robert M. Lowen, M.D.
An Enhanced You Cosmetic Surgery Medical Group
(800) 888-7474 toll-free nationwide

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