The Plastic Surgery Journey
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Step 1: Do your research
Be sure and find a doctor who is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. With the steady decline in reimbursement rates over the last decade, more and more physicians in outside specialties are moving into the cosmetic field. These doctors present a real concern to public safety as they are practicing in a field that they were not formally trained in and have little to no experience.
The fact of the matter is that not all doctors will provide the same quality results, making it essential that you do your research before selecting a surgeon. We recommend that you start your research by taking a look at the doctor’s resume. If all is well there the next place to check is the before and after gallery on the doctor’s website.
You will want to ask yourself a few key questions as you browse the galleries. Does the doctor have many photos in the gallery? A telltale sign of experience is a vast gallery of photos on a procedure. Would you be happy with your result if you were the patient who’s before and after you are looking at? Can you find other patients in the doctor’s galleries that have similar anatomy to yours? Do you like their results? Upon selecting a physician who is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, whose results you find to be consistent and positive, the next step is to take a look around the internet to see what previous patients have to say about their experiences in the doctor’s office. You will be spending a lot of time in your physician’s office after surgery and you want to be sure to select an office with an attentive staff whose schedule runs as close to on time as possible.
Step 2: Schedule a consultation
Once you have done your research and narrowed the field to a handful of well-qualified doctors, it is time to make some calls. Schedule a few cosmetic surgery consultations and get to know the doctors personally. Before your scheduled consultations, take time to make a list of questions for them so that you will be prepared while you are in the room. Common questions include:
- How does the procedure work?
- Where will the incisions be made?
- How long will the recovery take?
- How many follow-up visits will I have after surgery?
- Where do you perform the surgery?
- Is the facility accredited?
- Is the anesthesia administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist?
With a list of questions already thought out, you will be sure to get the most of your appointment time with the doctor. When you get home it is time to compare notes. With which doctor did you feel the best connection? Did he/she answer your questions in a way you could understand? Do you feel that he/she would be able to deliver the results that you are looking to achieve? Were you happy with the customer service provided by the staff? Did the office seem clean and well organized?
STEP 3: WORK OUT SCHEDULING AND FINANCING
Once you have selected a surgeon that stands above the rest, it is time to discuss financing and scheduling your surgery. Contact a patient care coordinator at the physician’s practice and look for a date that works for both you and the doctor for your surgery. There are a number of financing options available to help lessen the financial impact of the surgery. Companies like Care Credit® offer loans for medical procedures that have flexible payment schedules to meet your budget. You can apply online or through your coordinator on the phone or in person.
STEP 4: THE BIG DAY!
The day of surgery is an exciting day. It is the beginning of a process that will result in a new you. You want to have everything taken care of before coming in on this day. Where will you stay during your recovery from your procedure? Who will be helping to take care of you after your cosmetic surgery? Are all of your prescriptions filled? What clean low sodium foods will you have in your refrigerator for after surgery? As long as you have crossed every t and dotted every i beforehand, recovery should be a breeze.
Step 5: Post-operative follow-up care
The evening of your surgery you will receive a phone call to make sure you are doing well and answer any question you may have. Within a few days, the doctor is going to want to see you so that he can keep an eye on your recovery process. There may be several follow-up times scheduled in a short period after your surgery. As time passes your follow-up appointments will begin to be spaced further and further apart until you graduate to once a year annual follow-ups. Dr. Vitenas believes that his patients are his responsibility for life and wants to watch your body progress through the healing process right through the aging process to ensure that your results are holding up naturally and standing the test of time.
Step 6: Welcome to the elite club!
Now that you are a surgical patient who has recovered and is feeling great, we want to extend all of our services to you at a preferred client discount. Maintaining your overall results may require nonsurgical treatments like Botox® Cosmetic, chemical peels, laser treatments, and especially medical-grade skin care which are all addressed by the elite club. While you are in the office you will receive all of the details on the incentives given after your cosmetic procedure.