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Look at your surgeon's qualifications.
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A surgeon will have the initials FRCS, FRACS after their name. |
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How many years experience does he/she have? |
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What are their actual surgical qualifications? |
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Where did they train? |
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What year did they graduate? |
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Are they fellows of any surgical college? |
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Is your surgeon a member of the Australian College of Cosmetic Surgery? |
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How many of these procedures have they done? |
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Does he/she attend conferences to update knowledge on a regular basis? |
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Ask to look at a number if results of previous patients so that you are happy with consistent results. |
Look at the facility he/she operates at.
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Is it a registered day surgery unit or hospital?
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Is the unit accredited? (This means that if you have private health insurance, you may be able to
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| claim some component of the fee.) It also means that the unit has undergone quality assurance and that the government has been satisfied to pass the accreditation.
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Consider the appropriate staff.
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Will there be an anaesthetist present to look after my anaesthetic?
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Does this procedure require a surgical assistant?
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There should be a minimum of 2 nurses in the operating room and one in recovery.
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Has the company given me ample time to think about this procedure?
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It is not normal practice to undergo a consultation and procedure on the same day. Don't allow anyone
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to talk you into quickly making a decision regarding elective surgery.
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Make sure you are happy with the bedside manner of your chosen surgeon.
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Make sure that you write down any questions, so that they can be answered at the time of your
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consultation.
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Your consultation should be around 30 minutes.
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