In an effort to offer suggestions to help prevent wrong-site surgery and other preventable surgery mistakes for people having aesthetic plastic surgery, the 1,400-member American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) took a Time Out on June 18 "� the Annual National Time Out Day.
In the operating room, Time Out is when the surgical team confirms the patient's identity, the correct surgical site and the procedure being performed. It is done to help make surgery as safe as possible.
The initiative is part of ASAPS' Campaign for Patient Safety, an ongoing program to raise awareness of steps plastic surgeons and their patients can take to make cosmetic surgery safer.
Patients are reminded that they should always check the accreditation and professional reputation of any cosmetic doctor before getting work done. They should also make sure that the procedure is going to be done in an appropriate medical setting. And they should discuss procedures thoroughly before getting them done in order to make sure they understand the risks and results that should be expected.
A doctor's board-certification is the best indicator of his or her training in a particular medical or surgical specialty. Look for certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) to certify doctors in the specialty of plastic surgery.
Check the accreditation of the facility. The ASAPS said cosmetic surgery can be performed in a hospital, a surgicenter or an office-based surgical facility. Accredited office-based facilities have a safety record comparable to hospital ambulatory surgery settings, according to published data. But the majority of office-based surgical facilities are not accredited. The advantage in selecting an ASAPS member is that they operate only in accredited, state-licensed or Medicare-certified facilities.
Consultations are important, giving the patient the opportunity to get their questions answered. Candid discussions should take place on the risks and the benefits of the surgery. The discussions must also include a review of medical history, including any existing medical conditions.
Patients should ask to have the surgical site marked with a permanent marker and to be involved in marking the site, so that the site cannot be easily overlooked or confused.
Patients should ask about follow-up visits after surgery and the surgeon's policy if surgical revisions are necessary.
Plastic surgeon members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
If you want to find a board certified plastic surgeon in your area, click here.