One of my aims is to demystify this subject. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula that gives the answer for any particular patient, but here are some questions you may want to consider:
Is this Surgeon any good at their job?
How has this been measured? Is it good enough for you to ask the question, and the Surgeon to say "I reckon I'm pretty good", or even "the best" without any evidence?
You are entitled to ask about your Surgeon's training, experience and results.
Be wary of those who use testimonials, Google reviews etc to support their claims.
Watch out for the "hype"- meaningless qualifications, society affiliations, personal claims of being "world expert" etc.
My belief is that the 3 main attributes that make a good Surgeon (other than their training): sound judgement, patience and, good manual dexterity.
To me, these are much more important than the number of research papers one has published, honorary positions or how nicely one is dressed. This in no way belittles the value and importance of research, and academia in general. Most if not all Surgeons (including myself) are involved in these areas, but I do not believe these activities make a good Surgeon. The attributes of sound judgement, patience, good manual dexterity would probably be much better reflected in lifestyle choices including the quantity of sleep one gets, refraining from excess alcohol and playing a musical instrument; yet few people consider this perspective.
Does this Surgeon have a good "bedside manner"?
Often this is the most important criterion, and will enable you to develop a good rapport with your Surgeon.
Consider whether your surgeon is:
Does this Surgeon have conflicts of interest?
You are entitled to ask your surgeon whether they have any financial conflicts of interest. Examples include financial interests in surgical facilities, referral incentives or, financial interests in surgical devices or pharmaceuticals.
What are the fees?
Is this Surgeon any good at their job?
How has this been measured? Is it good enough for you to ask the question, and the Surgeon to say "I reckon I'm pretty good", or even "the best" without any evidence?
You are entitled to ask about your Surgeon's training, experience and results.
Be wary of those who use testimonials, Google reviews etc to support their claims.
Watch out for the "hype"- meaningless qualifications, society affiliations, personal claims of being "world expert" etc.
My belief is that the 3 main attributes that make a good Surgeon (other than their training): sound judgement, patience and, good manual dexterity.
To me, these are much more important than the number of research papers one has published, honorary positions or how nicely one is dressed. This in no way belittles the value and importance of research, and academia in general. Most if not all Surgeons (including myself) are involved in these areas, but I do not believe these activities make a good Surgeon. The attributes of sound judgement, patience, good manual dexterity would probably be much better reflected in lifestyle choices including the quantity of sleep one gets, refraining from excess alcohol and playing a musical instrument; yet few people consider this perspective.
Does this Surgeon have a good "bedside manner"?
Often this is the most important criterion, and will enable you to develop a good rapport with your Surgeon.
Consider whether your surgeon is:
- polite
- friendly
- open
- informative
- confidence inspiring
Does this Surgeon have conflicts of interest?
You are entitled to ask your surgeon whether they have any financial conflicts of interest. Examples include financial interests in surgical facilities, referral incentives or, financial interests in surgical devices or pharmaceuticals.
What are the fees?
- A good surgeon is not necessarily an expensive surgeon.
- Are the fees consistent with the above? If you like your surgeon you may be able to justify higher fees. The converse also applies.
- Ensure that you are comparing like, with like. This means that when you get quotes from different surgeons you know exactly what you are being quoted for, so any comparisons are meaningful. Please see the link "fees" for more information.