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Ten Keys to Consider When Shopping for Cosmetic Surgery

Today we have more choices than ever before when deciding on ways to improve our appearance. There are a myriad of technologies, procedures, and products available, which for many patients, is the primary focus. However, we believe that there are ten key points that should be just as important, or more so, than which procedure to choose.

1. PLASTIC SURGEONIf you’re thinking about a surgical enhancement, you want to do your homework to choose the right person to hold the scalpel. In New York City alone there are literally dozens and dozens of plastic surgeons, so you have lots of choices. Plastic surgeons have many years of rigorous surgical training, as opposed to a weekend course or side interest.
2. BOARD CERTIFICATIONYou want to be certain that your surgeon is “board certified”. To acquire board certification, surgeons must go through further testing and analysis of surgical results. Plastic Surgery is one of the 24 medical specialties recognized by the American Board of Specialties (ABMS). If a doctor is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) or the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS), you can be ensured that they are a board certified plastic surgeon.
3. EXPERTISEWhen you consult with physicians, it’s important to know about their qualifications, such as how many years they’ve been practicing and how many times they’ve performed the procedure that you’re inquiring about. Dr. Rothaus has over 25 years of plastic surgery experience and performs cosmetic surgery of the face and body daily. You can request to view a collection of before and after photos or speak with staff members who have had plastic surgery themselves.
4. TRAINING & METHODSBased on your cosmetic ambitions, there could be an array of surgical options. Liposuction tummy tucks, facelifts, and breast augmentations are examples of such cases. At your surgical consultation, talk to your doctor very specifically regarding your goals and concerns. He or she can use this detailed information to advise you on the procedure and technique most appropriate for your unique needs. Dr. Rothaus’s thorough training in plastic surgery has earned the utmost respect for his surgical quality and proficiency. You can be assured that he will discuss every approach to your procedure when you meet.
5. AN ATTENTIVE DOCTOR AND TEAMA good doctor-patient relationship with your surgeon is something all patients want. Therefore, when you select a surgeon, you’re also selecting his or her office. The staff, the facility, their character and reputation, their history and length of time in the community, and their responsibility to quality patient care and safety are important key points. A group of loyal professionals is something you want to check for signs of. Dr. Rothaus and his outstanding team are known for providing a personal approach and unsurpassed expertise to achieve the ultimate in patient care and have been a part of the community for over 25 years.
6. CARE – BEFORE AND AFTER SURGERYMake certain that you know how the practice will communicate with you both before and after your surgery, as well as how they will care for you. Are the staff members involved with your care appropriately licensed and certified? Our staff considers patient education a high priority and ensures that you are fully disclosed of any and all details regarding your procedure – from what to expect and how to prepare to the specifics of your recovery process. A careful review of your health history will also be completed. We stay in close communication with you prior to your surgery and after it has been performed.
7. HOSPITAL PRIVILEGES“Hospital privileges” means that a physician has an alliance at a local accredited hospital. Ensure that the surgeon you are considering for a procedure has “hospital privileges” in that particular procedure at a local accredited hospital. Dr. Rothaus is a positively regarded member at New York Presbyterian Hospital and carries privileges to perform the procedures done in our office-based operating rooms at the hospital.
8. OPERATING & RECOVERY ROOM STAFFThe certification, licensure and expertise of the surgical and recovery team is very important. When you have surgery under general anesthesia at our practice, you can be certain the following people will be in your operating room (OR) with you: your plastic surgeon, a physician anesthesiologist, a Registered Nurse (RN) who “circulates” and/or “scrub tech” that assists the surgeon. While you are recovering after your procedure in our recovery room, another RN will be caring for you. Our registered nurses and physician who work in our OR are certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS certified). This is a high standard of care and we believe it is a standard that you should look for.
9. ANESTHESIAAnother crucial standard that we believe in is that anesthesia is administered by a board certified anesthesiologist, which indicates that the doctor delivering your anesthesia is qualified in the ABMS recognized specialty of Anesthesiology. Occasionally in other practices, general anesthesia is given by a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) or even the surgeon or an RN. Because that most cosmetic surgical procedures are performed under deep sedation, at our practice, you can be certain that any case done under any type of anesthesia is administered by a qualified and accomplished board certified anesthesiologist.
10. FACILITYWe encourage you to have your surgery in an office-based surgical facility that has one of the three following accreditations: AAAASF, JACHO, or AAAHC or in a hospital-based operating facility. Accreditation by one of these groups validates that their standards of care are determined and investigated by a third party. Our operating rooms are AAAHC accredited, which tells you that we maintain the highest standards. Our facility is inspected a regularly and we satisfy crucial criteria for safety, equipment, facility, staff, and surgeons.

Our desire is for you to have an extraordinary and safe cosmetic surgical experience and we hope this information has been helpful in your search!