Researching Your Plastic Surgeon - What you need to know
 

 

Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery   The first and foremost thing to look for in a plastic surgeon is board-certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.  If you live in Canada, your surgeon should be certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  The ABPS is the only plastic surgery board that is recognized by the AMBS (American Board of Medical Specialties).  There are also subspecialties in plastic surgery that the ABMS recognizes.  These include hand surgery, and plastic surgery within the head and neck.  Certification for subspecialties require  1-2 years of education and training beyond what is necessary for a primary specialty.  Click here to find out what is required of surgeons in order to become certified by the ABPS. From the ABPS website: "By choosing a plastic surgeon who is certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc., you can be assured that the doctor has graduated from an accredited medical school and has completed at least five years of additional training as a resident surgeon in a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Medical Education or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. This includes a minimum of five years of residency training in all areas of surgery, including at least two years devoted entirely to plastic surgery. Certification is a voluntary process a surgeon seeks after this training. To become certified, the doctor then must pass comprehensive written and oral exams." You can check to see if your doctor has received certification by the ABPS by going to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) web site and signing up for a free account.  You must have an account to be able to perform searches.  Alternatively,  you can contact the American Board of Plastic Surgery directly.  Certified plastic surgeons have completed a surgical residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery.  This includes at least 5 years of training, 2 of which are dedicated solely to plastic and reconstructive surgery.  It is imperative that you choose an ABPS certified surgeon because any licensed medical doctor can call him/herself a plastic surgeon, and can practice plastic surgery, regardless of   training, or the lack there of.  Many patients are astonished when they learn that this is perfectly legal in the United States.   American Board of Plastic Surgery Seven Penn Center, Suite 400 1635 Market Street Philadelphia, PA  19103-2204 Phone:  (215) 587-9322 Fax:     (215) 587-9622 www.abplsurg.org   What is the American Board of Medical Specialties, and what is it's purpose?  Established in 1933, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), a not-for-profit organization comprising 24 medical specialty Member Boards, is the pre-eminent entity overseeing the certification of physician specialists in the United States. The primary function of ABMS is to assist its Member Boards in developing and implementing educational and professional standards to evaluate and certify physician specialists. By participating in these initiatives, ABMS also serves as a unique and highly influential voice in the healthcare industry, bringing focus and rigor to issues involving specialization and certification in medicine. ABMS is a designated primary equivalent source of credential information. ABMS is the organization that establishes standards for physician specialty certification and Maintenance of Certification (MOC), including performance assessment. ABMS communicates information about these standards to support the public's quest for safe, high-quality healthcare. Their  purpose is to establish and maintain high standards for the delivery of safe, quality medical care by certified physician specialists. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the ONLY plastic surgery board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Step 1 - Verify certification with the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Checking your surgeon's medical licensure & disciplinary history   You will also need to check to see if your doctor is licensed to practice medicine in the state he or she is practicing in.  You can acquire this information by going to your State Medical Board's website and doing a free online search.  In addition to verifying licensure, most state medical boards show any disciplinary action the board has had to take against the surgeon.  Many states include information such as educational background, insurance information, honors and awards, academic appointments, legal actions, and paid settlements. Step 2 - Check your surgeon's disciplinary history with your state medical board. The Federation of State Medical Examiners allows you to access your doctors disciplinary history.  For a small fee ($ 9.95), they will make the following information available to you:   The name of the licensing agency or state medical board that initiated the action.  The type of disciplinary action taken by the board (license revocation, suspension, etc.).   The reasons for the action. The date the action was taken. The Disciplinary Search Report does not include information on medical malpractice suits or claims. You may pay by credit card (for immediate results), or you mail in request (online form available for printing) and pay by check or money order.  If you mail your request in, please allow 5-7 days for processing.   SAMPLE PROFILE FROM the Federation of State Medical Examiners There are other "services" available online, but these places rely on the doctors to provide the information.  Services like that can't be trusted for obvious reasons.  You may also opt to go to the county courthouse, or contact the clerk of court (in the county your surgeon practices in), and search for malpractice suits/claims/records. You may also want to contact your state's Department of Insurance and your state's Medical Board.  Your state's medical board may be able to give you all the information you need.  Most states have information available online.

Verify your surgeon's surgical suite is accredited If your surgeon is a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and  has an in-office surgical suite, you will need to confirm that it has been appropriately accredited.  As of July 2002, the ASAPS put into effect it's new policy requiring the following of all ASAPS member surgeons: Surgeries   performed under anesthesia, other than minor local anesthesia and/or minimal oral or intramuscular tranquilization, must be performed in a surgical facility that meets at least one of the following criteria: Accreditation by a national or state recognized accrediting agency/organization; Certification to participate in the Medicare program under Title XVIII; or Licensure by the state in which the facility is located. Bear in mind that this only applies to plastic surgeons who are members of the ASAPS. In any event, you will need to inquire about the availability of life-saving equipment, who will be administering the anesthesia, etc., just to be safe.  Other accrediting organizations to contact are:     JCAHO  (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)   AAAHC   (Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care)  AAAASF (American Association for Accredited Ambulatory Surgical Facilities)

Checking for hospital privileges You will need to find out of your surgeon has hospital privileges at your local hospital(s). This is especially important   if you are having surgery in an outpatient center or in your surgeon's surgical suite.  In the event that complications arise during (or after) surgery, and you need to go to a hospital, you will want to know that your surgeon will be able to treat you at that particular hospital.   Be sure to ask your doctor about the hospitals he has   admitting privileges with.  Occasionally, not all hospital admitting privileges are listed on the AMA (link provided above). Once you get this information, call the hospital(s) to confirm it.

 

What is the difference between the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery?

• The American Board of Plastic Surgery is one of the 24 specialty boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). It is the only ABMS board which certifies in the full spectrum of the specialty of plastic surgery of the entire body. That is, plastic and reconstructive surgery of the head and neck, trunk and extremities.  Click here to see the requirements for ABPS certification.

 

I saw a surgeon on a TV show and he must be a good surgeon because he wouldn't be on TV if he weren't.  Is this an accurate assumption?

• Don't select a surgeon simply because he or she is on TV.  Many TV shows profile surgeons that A) are not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, B) have had multiple malpractice suits/settlements, C) have had disciplinary actions taken against them by their state medical board, or D) all of the above.  Unfortunately, many talk show hosts, newsmagazine shows, and the like, know very little about plastic surgery credentials.  Being on TV means nothing.  A lot of the plastic surgery TV shows are for entertainment, not for educational purposes.

 

Will using a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery guarantee that I won't have any problems/complications?

• No, nothing can guarantee that you won't have problems.  However, if you follow the steps above (check for ABPS certification, check disciplinary history, etc.), you will be less likely to encounter unncessary complications.

 

What is licensure?

• Licensure is designed as minimum standard necessary to practice medicine. It is a public function, administered by the states. The standards are established through a public process and all actions taken – both in granting a license and in restricting or withdrawing a license – are matters of public record. Licensure is not specialty specific and permits an individual to provide to the public any medical or surgical service he/she desires.
  (courtesy of the www.abplsurg.org - American Board of Plastic Surgery)

 

What is certification?

• Certification by a specialty Board attests to 1) completion of a prescribed set of education and training requirements in a specialty of medicine beyond the minimum requirements for licensure, and 2) passage of examinations that test the fund of knowledge in that specialty. All specialties now also require maintenance of certification (MOC), which requires completion of specified continuing education. Assessment of performance in practice and successful completion of a further examination testing the fund of knowledge in that specialty are also required for MOC. Many health care organizations and health plans now require certification in order to provide services in the relevant specialty area. Board-certified physicians govern specialty Boards in that specialty.  (courtesy of the www.abplsurg.org - American Board of Plastic Surgery)

 

What is accreditation?

• Accreditation is awarded to licensed physicians who have conducted their professional activities in accordance with standards set to define quality in professional practice. These standards include ethical behavior; absence of disciplinary actions by hospitals, licensing agencies, or financing programs; participation in peer review; participation in clinical self-assessment; operation of a safe, patient-centered practice that meets criteria for quality; and participation in measurement of clinical performance and patient care results, including patient satisfaction. Accreditation is not specialty specific. Detailed reports on accreditation are provided to health care organizations and health plans for their use in evaluating physicians. These reports include information on the physician’s license status and specialty board certification. The American Medical Accreditation Program is governed by a 17 member Board that includes a majority of physicians, as well as representation from consumers, employers, HCFA, managed care plans, voluntary health organizations and others.
  (courtesy of the www.abplsurg.org - American Board of Plastic Surgery)

 

I'm thinking of going to a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy).  Can a D.O. be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?

• Yes, D.O.'s can be certified by the ABPS.

 

What is the difference between membership in a society, association, academy, and accreditation/certification?

• "Societies are professional membership associations. The specific society, association or academy should be contacted for specific membership requirements and mission."
  (courtesy of the www.abplsurg.org - American Board of Plastic Surgery)
  
  The two most prestigious plastic surgery societies are the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS - www.plasticsurgery.org), and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS - www.surgery.org).  These are SOCIETIES, and do NOT certify plastic surgeons.  However, one of the requirements for becoming a member of either of these societies is certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

  
   

My plastic surgeon said that he/she was "board-eligible" ("board-qualified", "board-admissible").  All he/she has to do is take the exams.  That's good enough, right?

• Candidates for board-certification by the ABPS may NOT advertise themselves as "board-eligible", "board-qualified", and so forth.  This is against the code of ethics set forth by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
  
  American Board of Plastic Surgery - Code of Ethics
   

I won a contest and the prize is a free breast augmentation surgery.  The radio host said the surgeon was a certified plastic surgeon.

• Plastic surgeons that are certified by the ABPS cannot participate in these types of promotions.  They cannot "give away" surgical procedures in exchance for advertising.  This is against the ABPS Code of Ethics.
  
  Quoted from the ABPS website:

  "A candidate or diplomate shall not compensate or give anything of value, including operative services, directly or indirectly to a representative of the press, radio, television, or other communication medium in anticipation of or return for recommending the candidate or diplomate services or for professional publicity."

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