There may come a point when your doctor suggests surgery as a means of improving your health. As scary as it may be, you realize how important it is to your current health and future well-being.
Along with the help of members of your medical team, there are a variety of steps you can take to research surgeons to ensure yourself of choosing the right one for your procedure. Here’s what you can do:
- Use the internet: A quick online search will turn up reviews and ratings of every surgeon you’re considering, thus providing you with preliminary information for making an informed decision.
- Confirm credentials and certification: Before you do anything, confirm that the surgeon has their state credentials and surgical certification. This sounds like a step you can skip, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Ask questions: Once you’ve narrowed your list to two or three surgeons, schedule an appointment with each one. You can then get a better feel for what they have to offer, their bedside manner and how they plan on approaching your condition. By asking questions of each surgeon, you’ll gain a better understanding of who’s right for you.
Taking these steps will give you peace of mind, but there’s still no guarantee that everything will go as planned. Mistakes can and do happen during surgery.
If you’re a victim of medical malpractice, as it relates to a surgical error, seek a second opinion to better understand your situation and what you can do next. From there, you can take steps to stabilize your health and protect your legal rights.
