How to choose your surgeon
We pay all this money into private health insurance and then one day we need it. We need hip surgery, back surgery or neck surgery. Your ability to walk or move relies on some surgeon’s skills that your GP referred you to and you just have to trust that they have the skills required to give you the best outcome. What if there is no surgeon that specialises in your type of surgery in your area so you were sent to one that has done a few of them. We shop around for the best TV and do all the research until we find the best one that does everything we want it to do for our lounge room, but when it comes to finding the right surgeon, we go with the first one that your GP sends you ro. I suggest taking your time to find out who is going to be the best surgeon that is accessible for your specific surgery. It’s not always easy to weed through all of the information and advice to find the one who’s best for your needs.
Get referrals and read reviews
Begin by asking your GP for referrals and ask your GP if they have referred to these specific surgeons for the same injury in the past. Ask family members, friends, or other health care providers who may also have experience with qualified orthopaedic surgeons in your area and can give you firsthand information. You’ll also want to read online reviews and patient testimonials. Contact the reviewers and see if they have had good outcomes longer term. Sometimes the reviews are done soon after surgery. It is always good to see if they have the same opinion longer term.
Check credentials
Referrals and reviews are helpful, but it’s also important to do some research and check the credentials of any orthopaedic surgeon you’re considering. You’ll also want to look into any malpractice claims or disciplinary action by reviewing state websites. Finally, consider the orthopaedic surgeon’s background information, such as education and training, certifications, and memberships.
Many surgeons provide helpful information on their website. You can learn more about the surgeon, areas of specialty, education and training background, surgical experience, and any information shared about their personal life to give you a better picture of the person you’re trusting with your health. But remember that they probably are not going to be putting anything negative up on their own website.
Consider surgical experience
Experience can make all the difference in any field of work, especially when it comes to surgery for complex orthopaedic problems. In addition to general surgical experience, be sure to consider how many patients with your specific conditions the surgeon has operated on or how many of the same procedures they’ve completed. You might even ask the surgeon if they know someone they might recommend. The question I ask is “who would you go to or send your mum to for this surgery?”
Interview the candidates
This will cost you a bit because you will have to pay for a consultation here, but when you consider the importance of the surgery it might be worth getting that bit more info. This enables you to get a sense of their personality and style, and ask any questions you might have about their experience, background, and surgical approach.
Ask the surgeons about their experience with surgeries that same as or similar to yours, ask about their success rate, and a big one to consider is what technology they use and if minimally invasive options are a possibility, ask about their surgical plan before a procedure, and ask which hospitals they can work in because the post surgical care is also important and not all hospitals are the same..
Make sure you feel comfortable
Whoever you choose, make sure you feel comfortable with them and remember you can always change if you are not feeling right. It is your money, your body and you only get one so choose the best person you can afford and have available to perform your surgery.
