HOW TO CHOOSE A PLASTIC SURGEON

In today's day and age, when looking your best is important for your professional image, more and more people are turning to plastic surgery.

How should someone who is considering plastic surgery go about choosing the right cosmetic surgeon for their needs?

The most important thing, when selecting your plastic surgeon, is to make sure the doctor is board certified IN plastic surgery. Many doctors are board certified, but they don't always advertise what they are board certified in. you should only trust those plastic surgeons which have been certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and are recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The AMBS is the only board recognized by the American Medical Association to certify people in over 24 medical specialties, one in which is plastic surgery.

The easiest way to check any doctor's credentials is to go to www.abms.org (American Board of Medical Specialties®). Be sure to check to see what they are board certified in. You can also call 866-275-2267 to find out what your doctor is certified in.

OFFICE SURGERY

Should I be concerned about where the surgery is performed - in a "private setting" vs. a "hospital"?

Many people prefer to have their plastic surgery performed in a surgeon's private office for the same reason you might prefer flying on a private jet vs. flying commercial. If you have your surgery in the doctor's private facility, you don't have to worry if you are running a few minutes late, or need to spend a little more time recuperating. However, you should always ask the doctor if they have privileges to perform the procedures in a hospital as this will ensure that the doctor has undergone peer review and is eligible to perform surgeries in a hospital's operating room.

Appropriate office surgery, carried out by a qualified surgeon in an ACCREDITED, well-run and maintained office surgical facility can be:

• A positive, non-threatening experience for the patient
• An effective surgical environment
• Private
• Economical for the patient
• Convenient for patient and surgeon alike
• Most importantly SAFE

Surgery once restricted to the hospital operating room is now being done more and more frequently in the physicians' offices. This is particularly true of cosmetic surgery, with self-pay. What's the difference where it is done?

Just as there is no regulation of who can call themselves cosmetic or plastic surgeons, there is little regulation of what surgery can and can't be done in an office. Unfortunately, there is an alarming indication that the public's safety is being compromised by this lack of regulation. The State of Florida Board of Medicine recently placed a moratorium on office surgery performed under general anesthesia and heavy sedation due to a high incidence of hospital admissions from complications of office procedures. And along with numerous other states, Florida has passed legislation regulating office surgery.

How can a patient protect his/her safety in regard to surgical facilities recommended for a cosmetic procedure?

OUR APPROACH

• Our office is accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc.
• Surgeon (Dr. Hochstein) is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has hospital privileges to perform all procedures done in the office at (Aventura Hospital)
• Equipment, staffing, procedures and maintenance are regularly checked and cleaned by biomedical engineers. (similar to hospital standards)
• All intravenous sedation and patient monitoring are provided by (Dr. Livschutz) Board Certified Anesthesiologist
• All Before and After surgery care is provided by a Registered Nurse
• Overnight care is provided by a Registered Nurse for selected procedures (for example, facelifts)

Dr. Leonard Hochstein's  Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery has been inspected and accredited by the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF).

Dr. Leonard Hochstein Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Center AAAASF Certificate of Accreditation provides evidence that our facility meets high standards for patient safety in the outpatient surgical environment. AAAASF accreditation has been recognized as the "gold standard". AAAASF certification has been a model of excellence in surgical care and has been cited repeatedly as the model program for others to follow

All facilities accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) are designed and built to provide the best possible location for surgery and patient care.

A Certificate of Accreditation provides evidence that the facility meets high standards for patient safety in the outpatient surgical environment. AAAASF accredited surgery facilities are rigorously inspected and evaluated. A set of exacting standards must be met which assure the patient of a commitment to safety and the efficiency of the facility and equipment.

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CREDENTIALS: The Importance of Credentials

PROMISES

One should expect that a physician has the proper training, credentials and experience to provide the service you are seeking. One would expect a board-certified plastic surgeon to have gone through a broad and rigorous training program, to have adequate surgical experience, and to have passed both written and oral objective testing. Further, one would expect that the surgeon has met certain ethical standards as required by the particular specialty.

PITFALLS

• Any physician may call himself/herself a plastic surgeon or cosmetic surgeon with training.
• Physician may perform any procedure in his/her office without peer scrutiny. There are no training requirements. And, in fact, there is no requirement that the physician is a trained surgeon.
• A physician may claim to be board-certified simply by joining a sound-a-like organization.

OVERVIEW: BOARD CERTIFICATION EXPLAINED

The one medical board-certifying agency that you can rely upon is the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and its sub-boards. This is the board that OVERSEES the certification of physicians in all specialties.

"The intent of the certification of physicians is to provide assurance to the public that a physician specialist certified by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has successfully completed an approved educational program and an evaluation process which includes an examination designed to assess the knowledge, skills, and experience required to provide quality patient care in that specialty." Quoted from the ABMS Assembly

The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is the specialty board accredited by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) that certifies plastic surgeons. The ABPS is the only one of the 24 boards approved by the ABMS that certifies surgeons in plastic surgery of the face and all areas of the body. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) requires ABPS certification for membership. ASPS oversees continuing medical education, practice standards and ethics.

Medical specialty certification must be differentiated from a physician's ability to designate a special area of interest. This practice, used by the American Medical Association and many local medical societies, is known as a "self-designated specialty."

How do you find out which doctor is board certified?

You can check on specific physicians through the American Board of Medical Specialties Website at http://www.abms.org/ and then click on "Who's Certified." Verbal verification is available through the ABMS toll-free telephone service by calling 866 ASK-ABMS (275-2267). Verification is available in The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists, published annually. The directory can be found in many medical and public libraries. Written verification is available by contacting the individual specialty board in the physician's field of practice.

To see if your doctor has any Mal Practice suits filed against him/her please check here

Hospital Privileges

Major hospitals are very diligent in credentialing surgeons for privileges to perform specific procedures. Furthermore, in a hospital setting, surgeons are subject to peer review (case reviews), which enforces acceptable standards. Any hospital medical staff office can provide this information.

Aventura Hospital and Medical Center
20900 Biscayne Boulevard.
Aventura, Florida 33180

Vladimir Livschutz, M.D., Medical Director and Chief Exectutive Officer, AMAC, Inc.

Dr. Livschutz is a Board-Certified anesthesiologist with fifteen years of clinical experience. A highly skilled and respected physician, he served as a Chief of Anesthesia at a major metroplitan hospital in North Florida. He pioneered new techniques in the field of outpatient anesthesia and is a founder of Ambulatory Medical Anesthesia Consultations, Inc., a network of Board-Certified anesthesiologists specilizing in ambulatory surgery.

Dr. Livschutz is recognized for his leadership role in promoting safety and quality standards in outpatient setting. Physicians, administrators and members of the State medical and dental regulatory bodies frequently seek his advice.

Dr. Livschurz completed his anesthesiology training at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago where he specialized in anesthesia for cardiac and transplant surgery.

Check Your Surgeon's Background For Settlements, Judgments & Disciplinary Actions

A good source of information regarding disciplinary action can be found by visiting the above link on our website and inquiring with the state medical board -- or several states' medical boards.  Also you may visit www.docinfo.org for more information.  Although there is a fee for this service at that particular website, knowing is as beneficial to the patient for the health of their body, as is the peace of mind it may give you.

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