Have you ever felt like you were in a revolving door at your doctor’s office? I can recall appointments when a doctor doesn’t even look me in the face because they’re in such a hurry. It’s unfortunate when doctors feel the need to rush because they need to see more cases to get more money, or perhaps they’ve just become complacent. Maybe a sore throat doesn’t require a lot of personal attention, but when deciding to undergo a facial surgical procedure, trust in your doctor is of utmost importance.
It is my personal goal to educate patients first and foremost of the reasons why I practice medicine. I believe that patients have the right to the truth and be educated about surgical and medical procedures they are about to undergo as well as access to the most innovative and creative solutions to their problems. Medical and surgical procedures should be delivered with patient safety, long lasting excellent outcomes and customer service as the top priorities. These tenants can be applied to just about any medical or surgical practice. My practice just happens to be facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, but no matter what field of medicine I had chosen, I would have still held these core values. I want to develop trust with my patients so that they can effectively discuss their issues with me without having questions or being embarrassed. When trust is established between a doctor and patient, treatment flows smoothly. When communication is open and all questions are answered, expectations and goals are in line.
There are many other attributes to look for when forming a trusting relationship with your facial plastic surgeon.
- Make sure your doctor is properly trained and experienced in facial plastic surgery.
- Find a doctor who is dual board certified to ensure the highest level of education.
- Make sure your doctor operates only in accredited medical facilities.
- Be sure that your doctor is dedicated 100% to your goals and results.
- Look at before and after pictures and pay attention to patient reviews.
I list these points often because of the many doctors who are performing surgical procedures under false pretenses. Treating facial cosmetic issues ranging from the aging face, aging eyelids, sagging necks, nose reshaping, and also facial trauma and skin cancer reconstruction should all be provided by a double board certified facial plastic surgeon. Facial plastic surgeons are also well versed in non-surgical procedures such as injectables like Botox and fillers like Juvederm to help improve aging skin.
