Plastic Surgery Consultation Checklist Helps Patients Make the Right Choice when Choosing their Surgeon

New Jersey plastic surgeon, Paul M. Parker, MD, created a Consultation Checklist for patients to evaluate the plastic surgeons in NJ in a variety of categories, allowing them to make a well-researched decision about their surgery.

Paramus, NJ (PRWEB) November 15, 2011 — Choosing the right New Jersey plastic surgeon is the most important factor in the success of your cosmetic plastic surgery, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). To help patients make this critical decision about choosing a plastic surgeon, New Jersey residents can now use the comprehensive Consultation Checklist, developed by the Parker Center for Plastic Surgery.

When selecting a plastic surgeon, New Jersey patients are told to get referrals from friends or family members who have had cosmetic surgery, their physician, and by researching online. Some argue it is best to select a surgeon who is a member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS). This prestigious society requires its members to be board certified plastic surgeons with significant experience in cosmetic surgery and operate in fully certified surgical facilities. Their members can be found at surgery.org.

Once the patient has compiled a tentative list of surgeons, they can further their investigation. Before visiting the plastic surgeon’s office for a consultation, a patient should first visit their website. By viewing the surgeon’s website the patient will learn about their education, training, experience and philosophy. Many surgeons have designed their websites to be user friendly educational tools which provide a glimpse into their practice before scheduling an in office consultation. It is critically important for patients to look at the surgeon’s before and after photos on the site. Photographs are one of the most important ways of evaluating a plastic surgeon’s results. Patients should be sure:
·     To see more than one or two examples of the procedure they are considering.
·     The results look natural and not “over operated.”
·     The pictures are the surgeon’s own patients.

Once a patient has narrowed the search to 3-5 surgeons, it is recommended that they should make appointments for consultations. During these visits, patients should evaluate the competence of the surgeon and the team. Patients will meet with the surgeon to hear their recommendations and to evaluate the office for cleanliness, staff organization and dynamics. In some offices, patients can undergo computer imaging to give them an idea about how their results should look . Other offices will perform a sizing session on patients seeking breast augmentation to help customize implant size for them.

Dr. Paul M. Parker of the Parker Center for Plastic Surgery in Paramus, NJ became aware that visiting all of these offices could be overwhelming for patients. Though the patients gain more information through these visits, they often hear different options from the surgeons and their staffs. Dr. Parker and his team believe that patients may need some assistance in making their critical evaluations of these cosmetic surgeons in NJ.

“We were looking to create a tool that would allow patients to evaluate plastic surgeons in NJ easily and concisely. This led to our development of a Consultation Checklist,” said Dr. Parker.
This checklist divides the most quantifiable factors into a checklist for patients to evaluate several surgeons, their teams, and their routines before, during and after surgery.

“By creating this list, we’re giving patients a tool that will help them evaluate a potential surgeon and compare them to other New Jersey plastic surgeons. We’ve learned from our patients over the years what’s important to them. Accordingly, we have modified what we do in our practice to provide the best experience possible. This checklist allows patients considering cosmetic surgery to evaluate all surgical practices by criteria we’ve learned our patients consider important,” explained Dr. Parker.

The checklist includes the ability to evaluate the New Jersey plastic surgeon’s qualifications, experience, results, their staff, office, educational information, rapport achieved with doctor and staff, surgical facility credentials, post-operative care and other topics covered at the consultation. Some patients are nervous or embarrassed about discussing their problem with the doctor. For others, just being in an examination room can be an intimidating. It is easy for patients to become overwhelmed by the volume of information they’ve received. By having the Consultation Checklist, a patient can easily ask the consulting surgeon all of the necessary and relevant questions.

As patients research New Jersey plastic surgeons for their specific surgery, they should use this Consultation Checklist to objectively compare one surgeon with another. After evaluating each surgeon, patients should add up their point totals. They should then compare this to the fee quote they have been given. If the highest fee quote comes from the practice with the lowest point value, patients should look for a better value for their money. If a practice achieves a good point total for their surgical results, communication, and safety levels at a moderate price, patients are able to save money without compromising quality.

Dr. Parker recommends that patients complete all the consultations they have scheduled. Even if a patient thinks they’ve found their surgeon at the first visit, they may discover better options as they continue to research. Most patients feel better informed after seeing several surgeons. If seeing several surgeons raises conflicting advice, patients should make arrangements for a second consultation with their short list of potential surgeons. They may then ask the surgeon to help sort through the various recommendations they have heard and clarify their advice.

Patients are offered the checklist when they make an appointment for a consultation at the Parker Center. The form is also available as a .pdf download from the website https://www.parkercenter.net. Dr. Parker has filled in the some of the Consult Checklist boxes with regard to his own credentials, experience, and the certification of their on-site ambulatory surgery center. The other boxes on the Consult Checklist are blank allowing prospective patients to evaluate Dr. Parker, his staff and the entire consultation process at the Parker Center.

With over 20 years’ experience, Dr. Parker is a board-certified plastic surgeon New Jersey residents trust. Patient education has always been a top priority for Dr. Parker and his team at the Parker Center. The Consultation Checklist is another valuable tool that can assist plastic surgery patients in choosing the right surgeon for their procedure. Its development is consistent with the Parker Center’s belief that fully educating patients about cosmetic surgery allows them to make intelligent decisions that enhances their overall experience.

About Paul M. Parker MD:
Dr. Parker is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the New Jersey Society of Plastic Surgeons.
In addition, he has been selected as one of the top surgeons in his field by Consumer’s Research Council of America and has been named one of “America’s Top Doctors” by Castle Connolly. He has also served as Assistant Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery at New York University Medical Center.

About The Parker Center:
The Parker Center is a 15,000 square foot facility located in Paramus, NJ that includes a fully certified on-site ambulatory surgical center that is AAAASF and Medicare certified. It also includes the state of the art medi-spa, Beaura Spa and a full circuit training gym. The Parker Center for Plastic Surgery New Jersey is a pristine facility that prides itself on enhancing their patient’s lives through individualized care, support with impeccable attention to detail.