ONCE THE PROVIDER, NOW THE PATIENT! (Multi-part Article)

Many of you have read the post I shared relating to my surgery in January 2022.??With over 26 years in the healthcare field, I want to share with readers how to search for a quality surgeon. Even as a nurse, learning that you need surgery can be overwhelming!?

It is essential to know the precise name of your medical diagnosis and the surgical procedure recommended. If the provider tells you that surgery is recommended, ask the provider if it is a common procedure. The search process is slightly different if the recommended surgery is complex or uncommon. I will address this in a subsequent article.

A valuable resource is your own contacts. Your physician will likely recommend a surgeon. However, I encourage individuals to do their own research. Many physicians refer patients to their friends who may or may not be the most qualified.?ALWAYS?GET A?SECOND OPINION! A reputable surgeon will actually encourage this. Prior to my surgery, I obtained opinions from three neurosurgeons, all located in different cities. In fact, they were located in different states. Each one encouraged me to seek other opinions. I recommend pursuing nurses, physical therapists, or anesthesiologists. These three groups see a wide variety of physicians and are often aware of a surgeon’s ability and reputation. My experience has proven that these are incredibly reliable resources. Also, have friends or family inquire within their networks, asking questions like what surgeon would they select if needing the same procedure? Is the response quick and emphatic? Sensing any hesitancy to answer is a good clue. If you are receiving different names, do two consistently stand out? If so, both surgeons are likely to be highly qualified. Various name suggestions mean may warrant examining surgeons outside your immediate area.???

Review specialists within a broader specialty, like orthopedic surgery.??If you need hip surgery, search for orthopedic surgeons whose main focus is hip surgery. The success rates are typically higher than that of an orthopedic surgeon who performs a variety of joint surgeries.

Perform an internet search. A few relevant sites are Healthgrades, Vitals, RateMD, ZocDoc, and Google. Personally, I find Healthgrades highly reliable and it is my “go-to.” Reviewing numerous sites should give you an overall picture of a surgeon’s reputation. If the complaints refer to office cleanliness or patients having to wait a lengthy amount of time, they are not “vital” to a surgeon’s performance. Vital factors include: “they took time to explain my condition, surgery options, recovery, rehabilitation, etc.”??Other factors to review are returning calls, did the surgeon listen, did he or she put you at ease and address your concerns. Weigh “successful outcomes” with “negative outcomes.”??

One place I often hear referenced is the “Top Doctor’s” edition of a local magazine. This is one of the WORST places to search!??It is a Who’s Who of local physicians who often pay to be included. Many times, I have seen a physician listed as a “Top Surgeon” whom I know has less than desirable outcomes. I have also seen physicians listed as a “Top Doctor” in a field in which they do not practice.??In the 2021 edition of the “Memphis Magazine Top Docs”,?a Cardiologist I highly respect was ranked as a “Top Vascular Surgeon.”??The following week at work I asked if he had a new “specialty” and we enjoyed a good laugh relating to this error.??Magazine editions are often highly misleading, with more inaccuracies than accuracies. My subsequent articles will focus on questions you should ask the surgeon, and hospital searches and reviews.