How to Research Your Plastic Surgeon

Now that you have a list of candidates to perform your surgery, you must now research their credentials, and malpractice history. Not all information is made available to the public, so relying on word of mouth of real patients can be invaluable. This may be a lot of information to absorb but it is very important, your life and physical well-being may depend upon it.

State Licensure

State licensure is very important. Your plastic surgeon must hold a valid license to practice medicine for the state in which he performs your procedure. These licenses may be a Medical Doctor (M.D.) which is an allopathic physician or a Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) which is an osteopathic physician. Most plastic surgeons tend to be medical doctors, but sometimes you may find one that is an osteopathic doctor.

"Licensure is designed as minimum standard necessary to practice medicine. It is a public function, administered by the states, the standards are established through a public process and all actions taken, both in granting a license and in restricting or withdrawing a license, are matters of public record. Licensure is not specialty specific and permits an individual to provide to the public any medical or surgical service he/she desires." Source: American Board of Plastic Surgery

We have provided information on both license types for your convenience. There are many similarities in being an M.D. or a D.O.:

  • "Applicants to both D.O. and M.D. colleges typically have a four-year undergraduate degree with an emphasis on scientific courses.

  • Both D.O.s and M.D.s complete four years of basic medical education.

  • After medical school, both D.O.s and M.D.s can choose to practice in a specialty area of medicine -- such as psychiatry, surgery or obstetrics -- after completing a residency program which requires an additional two to six years of training.

  • Both D.O.s and M.D.s must pass comparable state licensing examinations.

  • D.O.s and M.D.s both practice in fully accredited and licensed health care facilities.

  • D.O.s comprise a separate, yet equal branch of American medical care. Together, D.O.s and M.D.s enhance the state of care available in America."

  • However, "D.O.s receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system, your body's interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones that make up two-thirds of its body mass." source: American Osteopathic Association.

Osteopathic physicians usually become primary care physicians, however some may choose to be dermatologists or plastic surgeons. D.O's are taught to focus on preventive health care and treat the body as a whole. The American Osteopathic Association has special requirements to achieve certification for specialty boards, such as Dermatology, Plastic Surgery and Anesthesiology.

Most states have online verification, while others may require a written request or even a request by telephone.

Verifying Your Surgeon's Certification

Although not every good surgeon will be listed on the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The ABMS website provides you with the means to determine if your surgeon is in fact certified by any of their boards (commonly The American Board of Plastic Surgery and/or The American Board of Surgery). Click the below link-button to access the American Board of Medical Specialties' online certification verification database. It will require registration, however registration is free.

Alternatively, you can verify a surgeon's certification over the phone by calling 1-866-ASK-ABMS (or 1-866-275-2267). Both of these options are provided to you at no charge so feel free to utilize this service.

Additionally, some surgeons you come across will not be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and will instead be members of The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS). Although the AACS is not recognized by the ABMS, a lot of widely known liposuction surgeons are members. More information about the AACS, please see our How To Find A Good Plastic Surgeon section.

Professional Liability Insurance

Not all surgeons carry liability insurance and not all states require it. You can contact your state's Department of Insurance (D.O.I), or also the states for which your surgeon has been licensed to practice in in the past. Not all states are created equal, in fact, you may not be able to find much information from state to state. You may also wish to ask whether or not your doctor carries professional liability insurance, although you may detect a note of uneasiness in the room regardless of the answer. It's just an awkward question, so don't be alarmed. It's kind of like if you were to invite someone over to your house for dinner and before they stepped into your house they asked if you had insurance. You'd wonder to yourself if they had the calculated intention of suing you if they didn't like the meal. But it is your right to know.

Some surgeons may choose to utilize a surety bond instead of carrying insurance if they have the resources to do so. Some states have very high insurance premiums and it is often easier and less expensive in the long run to carry a bond instead. This basically means the surgeon either has the funds/liquid assets, or maintains an irrevocable letter of credit equal to the maximum award amount for that state set aside instead of paying high premiums for liability insurance. However, several states require liability insurance.

Factors which may determine whether or not your surgeon chooses to have insurance may be, region, state requirements, risk of specialty, assets, or requirements of group practices or premises. So do not be alarmed if your surgeon does not carry liability insurance as his medical license will more than likely require that he has comparable coverage in asset form. Also, doctors who choose not to carry traditional liability insurance are usually required to post such information in plain view in their office, or on documents made readily available to their patients.

Researching A Surgeon's Malpractice History

This is a very scary subject for many people. Unfortunately today there are surgeons who perform less than stellar surgeries and also many frivolous lawsuits as well which can cloud us from determining educated decisions for ourselves. This is also a very difficult area to research, as it takes many, many dedicated hours of effort, and still you may not be able to get as much information as you would like. There are wonderful surgeons who have been sued and there are surgeons with inadequate skills who haven't been sued--yet. It is certainly enough to scare us in to hiding when seeking the right doctor for our surgery. If you do find that your surgeon has been involved in a recent lawsuit, inquire as to why. Just know that anyone can file a lawsuit at anytime, whether they have reason or not.

Please also know that lawsuits should not be, but are, filed because the results were not what the patient expected or if something unforeseen arose such as undiagnosed medical conditions, anesthesia complications, etc. or inherent risks such as capsular contracture or rupture. Most cases must prove negligence to be viable but there are winning cases where no negligence is proven. Negligence is where a case where the attending surgeon(s) administered care which was substandard in that particular medical community/specialty (plastic surgery). And unfortunately it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine which surgeons are victims of frivolous lawsuits or serious cases where the patients were the victims -- these cases should be addressed and considered before your choosing to undergo surgery. Most surgeons will not come out and tell you if they have been involved in a lawsuit although you do have the right to ask, with emphasis on recent suits.

You can go to the courthouse for the county in which your surgeon practices and perform a search for litigations, arbitrations, trials, etc in the civil index. You can ask the county clerk for specific instructions and etiquette on how to do this as this office is where this information is usually held. Some courts ask that you pay a fee for copies of the documents. Please also know that it is quite possible that malpractice information may be found instead at the Superior Court Office.

Verifying A Surgery Center's Accreditation

If your surgery is to be performed at an on-site Ambulatory Surgery Center make sure they are accredited! Accreditation associations ensure that Surgery Centers are well equipped, have equipment to properly sterilize instruments, have an emergency protocol, proper emergency equipment such as a crash cart and are easily accessible to emergency vehicles. Below are the four accreditation associations in the United States, and one in Canada:

Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC)
3201 Old Glenview Road, Suite 300
Wilmette, Illinois 60091
Telephone: (847) 853-6060
Fax: (847) 853-9028
Website: www.aaahc.org

American Association for Accreditation for Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF)
1202 Allanson Road
Mundelein, Illinois 60060
Toll-free: (888) 545-5222
Fax: (847) 566-4580
Website: www.aaaasf.org

American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
142 East Ontario Street
Chicago, IL 60611
Telephone: (312) 202-8000
Fax: (312) 202-8200

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
Telephone: (630) 792-5000
Fax: (630) 792-5005
Website: www.jcaho.org

Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities
2334 Heska Rd.,
Pickering, Ontario Canada L1V 2P9
Telephone: (905) 831-5804
Fax: (905) 831-7248
Website: www.caaasf.org

 

 
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