Cosmetic surgery requires much homework and one of this is…which hospital? Medical facilities should be an important point for any surgery or treatment but when cosmetic treatment is involved, the hospital takes on prime importance, second of course to the surgeon.
Therefore, it is important that before going for cosmetic surgery you should do a complete research on the facility where you plan to have it. A plastic surgery is not only about the doctor who will perform it but also where he will do it because there are many ‘before and after’ concerns which you need to keep in mind, especially with this type of surgery.
Usually, patients opt for a hospital where their doctor has privileges. But, a good quality hospital is important because the outcome of the plastic surgery depends a lot on the post-operative care. Every healthcare facility is not the same…some give better results than the other.
There are several factors you need to keep in mind when selecting the hospital. Here are some:
Hospital Rating
Look for a hospital that has been given a high rating by state or consumer groups. Many cities follow this route. Take a look at the quality standards these hospitals abide by.
Check if the hospital you want is ranked by any accreditation board. JCI, or Joint Commission International, reviews and credits hospitals based on a guideline that includes more than 350 standard indices. There are other similar bodies that keep a check on the quality of hospitals, like National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH).
Check on the credentials of the cosmetic surgery doctors at the hospital you choose. What types of licence and qualifications the plastic surgeons there have? Make sure he has adequate experience and high success rate with your type of cosmetic treatment.
Cosmetic Surgery Record
Another important question is whether the hospital has a good record with the kind of surgery you are going for. Whether it has a good team of health professionals for this type of cosmetic procedure. Find out its frequency at this particular hospital; how often it is done and how often your doctor performs it. Plus what is the patient outcome for this and whether the hospital maintains a record of it.
Blood and Drug Supply
What are the safety measures employed by the hospital regarding blood supply? This is a very important point. You never know when there is an emergency and you might need blood urgently. Nothing should be left for later…all the deliberation has to be done before.
Also, you don’t want to be worrying about every pill you pop into your mouth. So find out what steps the hospital takes to keep a check on the expiry dates of the pharmaceutical products provided there.
Health Cover
If you are using a health cover plan, check if the hospital will accept it. Otherwise, you may have to search for other ways to pay for your cosmetic treatment.
In-Patient Stay
Ask about in-patient treatment and stay, the types of rooms the hospital has and how much it will cost. Costing is an important aspect of any surgery and it will involve not only the doctor and operation theatre fees, but also the hospital stay. You should also check if they have facilities for a family member or friend to stay in with the patient.
Since cosmetic treatment is a specialised service, the costs will not be in the regular bracket. So, you need to budget everything right at the beginning.
