The majority of cosmetic surgical procedures performed in 2005 took place in non-hospital settings – 48 percent in an office-based facility and 28 percent in a freestanding surgical center.

With proper safety precautions in place, surgery performed outside of a hospital can be as safe as it is within. Even more, procedures performed in office-based and independent surgical centers offer certain advantages, including privacy, affordability, and comfort.

Still, in order to ensure safety, patients should understand how non-hospital surgical settings are regulated. The following are a few guidelines for understanding accreditation:

• No national regulations exist with regard to safety outside of hospital settings. Only state-sponsored regulations, which vary according to state, govern the safety of these facilities, their staff, and equipment.
• Independent accrediting organizations have individual standards for its member facilities. Generally, however, accredited facilities must pass peer-reviewed inspections, employ specially trained and qualified medical staff, undergo regular safety inspections, and meet certain standards of emergency training.
• The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgery both require their members to perform all surgical procedures in properly accredited facilities.
• The four reputable accrediting organizations are:
• The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF)
• The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
• The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC)
• The American Osteopathic Association (AOA)

Consumer Tips

• Ask your surgeon if the procedure will be performed in a facility accredited by one of the four major accrediting associations. If so, is the facility in good standing?
• Find out if the facility is where the surgeon performs similar surgical procedures to the one you're considering.
• Ask about the emergency plan. Where is the nearest hospital and does the surgeon have staff privileges?
• Find out when the facility received its most recent accreditation review.

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