Surgery isn’t something to be taken lightly. While modern plastic surgery is incredibly safe, before undergoing any procedure, it’s best practice to do a little bit of research to find the best practitioner for your desired surgery — one who can ensure not only your safety, but your comfort and long-term success as well.
In this piece, we’re going to use our knowledge of the industry and our regional knowledge of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area to break down everything you need to know about finding the top plastic surgeons in Wisconsin.
Look at Board Certification
First, what is the American Board of Plastic Surgery? The ABPS is a group that oversees plastic surgeons to ensure quality and safety. Getting certified by the board is a rigorous process, so any surgeon who has attained said certification meets a high standard and is sure to provide quality service.
That said, trying to figure out exactly who is Board certified is a bit of a finicky process. The American Board of Plastic Surgery has a website where one can search through every surgeon who has been certified by the Board. However, the search can miss results, or produce inaccurate results if one makes a misspelling or does not give the precise location of the surgeon for whom they are searching.
Another site solves this issue: a database called Certification Matters. This site’s search function is more robust and allows patients to see all of a surgeon’s certifications.
For example, on Dr. Bosbous’s page, you can see that not only is he Board certified, but that he also participates in “Maintenance of Certification” — an ongoing process that ensures he always meets and exceeds the standards of his certification.
Make Sure the Surgery Facility is Accredited
Much like a surgeon’s accreditation, a facility’s accreditation is a sign that they are committed to a high standard of care. While the fact that there are several accreditation organizations makes it difficult to search for a facility’s specific accreditations, most of the time, if you simply search the facility’s name and “accreditation” on your favorite search engine, you’ll be directed to a page where they will list all of their accreditations.
After all, accreditation takes a lot of work — most places that achieve it will happily brag about it!
To give an example, the Wisconsin Froedtert network puts its many accreditations on one easy-to-explore page.
Talk to Surgeons
Plastic surgery is a very personal process. Before undergoing any procedure, you’ll want to be clear with your prospective surgeon about what you are looking for and how you want it done.
A good surgeon will not try to upsell you on other procedures, or talk you into a procedure with which you might not be totally comfortable. Good surgeons are able to work with your wants and needs and create the perfect plan for your desired procedure.
If you’re still uncertain after a conversation, you can often simply search for a surgeon’s name on your favorite search engine to find numerous reviews of them.
While not all review sites are reputable, there are a few databases that tend to do a good job of compiling available information. For example, U.S. News keeps track of scores of surgeons, even allowing potential patients to see what insurance they take and other, similar surgeons in the area.
Have Surgeons Talk to You
This could be included in the previous point, but we wanted to separate it to emphasize its importance. A conversation with your potential plastic surgeon should be a conversation — not just one of you telling the other what they want.
Your plastic surgeon should ask you questions, determining your precise needs while figuring out the best way to care for you.
Even if you see positive reviews, if you feel uncomfortable or have a bad feeling after a conversation with your plastic surgeon, it’s best to continue your search elsewhere. A bad conversational environment will inevitably lead to bad outcomes.
Confirm Your Surgeon Performs Your Procedure
You wouldn’t go to a plumber to fix your car. Why would you trust a surgeon who doesn’t specialize in your specific surgery?
An honest surgeon will be forthright with you about what they can and cannot do. For example, on our site, we make a pointed effort to list Dr. Bosbous’ specialities right on the top of the site.
If you can’t find information about a surgeon’s available procedures online, simply give them a call — any quality surgeon will be more than happy to walk you through what they’re able to do.
Wisconsin is home to many high quality plastic surgeons. If you’re interested in plastic surgery and you live in Wisconsin, feel free to reach out to us to schedule a consultation. We’ll talk through your prospective procedure with you to ensure you get the care you need and the surgery you want, all with top-of-the-line customer service. Contact us today!