Patient Safety And Plastic Surgery

Thursday, March 1, 2001

Patient Safety And Plastic Surgery (NAPSA)—With the public’s growing acceptance of plastic surgery, potential patients need to consider some very important factors before having a procedure. “Certainly patients need to do their homework regarding a physician’s credentials,” said Edward Luce, MD, president of the Ameri- can Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). “Board-certified plastic surgeons are highly trained to pro- AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLASTIC SURGEONS ensuring maximum patient safety before, during and after surgery.” Patients should determine if their plastic surgeon is an ASPS member, which means they are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties certifying surgeonsin plastic surgery of the face andall areas of the body. By choosing an ASPS member, patients know the physician graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least five years of additional residency, usually three years of general surgery and two yearsof plastic surgery. Everyone who chooses to have plastic surgery has the right to a safe procedure. To ensure patient safety, the ASPS established a committee to study issues related to office-based surgical facilities. More than 60 percent of plastic surgery procedures in 2000 were performed in an office-basedfacility. As a further safeguard for patients, the ASPS requires all members who perform surgery under anesthesia to do so in an geon, look for the symbol of the American Society of Plastic Sur- duce a successful outcome, while accredited, licensed or Medicare- approved facility by July 1, 2002. “Patient safety has always been of paramount importance to our members,” said Ronald Iver- son, MD, chair of the ASPS Committee on Patient Safety in Officebased Surgery Facilities. “Our committee helps the ASPS to continue its leadership position as the ‘gold standard’ for safety in Whenchoosing a plastic sur- geons, the gold standard for plastic surgery safety. plastic surgery.” As more and more Americans choose plastic surgery to maintain or enhance their appearance, they need to be informed and plan a procedure with a board-certified plastic surgeon. For more information on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, or to find a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, call 1-888-4PLASTIC (888-475-2784) or visit www.plasticsurgery.org. Questions To Ask When Choosing A Plastic Surgeon Are youcertified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery? Do you have hospital privilegesto perform this surgery? Where and how will you perform my surgery? Is the surgical facility accredited or in the process of being accredited by a national or state-recognized accrediting organization? Whatarethe risks involved with my procedure? How long of a recovery period can | expect, and whatkind of helpwill | need during my recovery? Will | need fo take time off work? If so, how long? How much will my procedure cost? Are financing options available?

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