BECOMING INFORMED

Becoming informed is an active responsibility that anyone considering cosmetic surgery must take on. Once you have taken personal responsibility to do your own legwork and research, you can and should feel comfortable signing consent forms.

Becoming informed can be an adventure, should you choose to view it that way. Although it takes time and commitment, it is incredibly exciting to seek out the information that will contribute to your successful outcome. The amount of research will vary from person to person according to the time and energy available. Nonetheless, taking responsibility minimally requires the following:

Do Not Be Hasty in Your Decision
As difficult as this may be—wait. Wait until you’ve thoroughly investigated the possibilities of cosmetic surgery before you schedule appointments or choose a doctor.

Pick a date three months in the future as the target date to begin your physician consultations. During that time, make a commitment to read a book every two weeks, investigate several Internet sites per week, and let the information wash over you.

Have a Doctor Selection Plan
In order to successfully choose surgeons to visit, you must narrow your choices. Begin with recommendations from friends, look at articles written about surgeons in your area, and watch for radio or television news stories featuring plastic or cosmetic surgeons. See which names are mentioned most often in a favorable way. These names should correspond with the procedures you are considering.

Once you have gathered at least three doctors’ names, you can begin to conduct phone interviews with the staff at their offices. Your phone interviews with the doctors’ staff should include asking questions about the doctor’s qualifications, his experience with your particular procedure, whether the staff has or would undergo surgery with the doctor for whom they work, and what services the office offers to patients.

Samui Villas offers Vacation Villa Rental of Private Ko Samui Holiday Villas and Luxury Beach Villas on Koh Samui - Thailand. The period from February to June is the time when samui Villas rental in Samui is in boom. Samui Villas resort are a superb Koh Samui accommodation for people looking to lose themselves in the beauty of Koh Samui's gorgeous beaches

Don’t Be Emotional
Emotions can sometimes lead to making a hasty cosmetic surgery decision based on an advertisement or a loved one’s suggestions. It is wonderful to dream, but unrealistic or hasty decisions can turn that dream into a nightmare. Asking for assistance from former patients who have had positive and negative results will help to ground your expectations and dreams in reality.

Know Your Goals
The goal of surgery is improvement, not perfection. Knowing this will take the pressure off both you and your physician. It is imperative that you share your goals and motivations so that your doctor understands what you are looking for. This lays the groundwork for open communication and helps to dispel any misunderstandings before they take hold.

Informed Consent Has Its Challenges
Keep in mind that true informed consent is always difficult for numerous reasons. For example:

• Doctors attempt to, but can’t always, convey all matters involved with the surgery decision.
• Patients often have selective hearing.
• Statistically, few doctors have experienced cosmetic surgery themselves.
• Doctors tend to focus on the clinical or technical aspects of care and less on the emotional/psychological aspects.
• Patients aren’t always interested in hearing about risks or complications for fear it might steer them away from a decision that may have been difficult in the first place.

Use a Consulting Firm
One alternative is to use a consulting firm to help you wade through the myriad of options. But here, too, you must choose carefully. Not all consulting firms are alike. Choose one with a comfortable environment where you do not feel rushed. Also make sure that their physician screening and credentialing is comprehensive and explained to you. Consulting fees vary based on the services available.

Communication
The potential for miscommunication is great. At the very least, listening carefully, asking questions, and achieving agreement on issues to be included on your consent forms will create an open and communicative environment. This will go a long way in fostering a positive patient-physician relationship.

Top