Though restrictions are starting to ease in Victoria, many people are hesitant to return to ‘normal.’ What is more, many people are still experiencing hardships, and will continue to do so for many more months. For this reason, though the State is moving forward, we know that not everyone will be ready to jump straight back into surgery. During this lock down, we have also noticed a large number of enquiries, perhaps because we all have a little more time to explore things such as plastic surgery. Because of this, we have decided to put together a little guide to choosing your surgeon, to answer some of those quarantine questions.
For many people, choosing a surgeon involves extensive research and looking at several different factors; one of which is the accreditation and education of the surgeon themselves. Surgery is not something to take lightly, so it is important that the person performing the procedure has received a high standard of education and is an active member in the community of plastic surgeons. Dr Webster trained in general and specialist plastic surgery for eight years before graduating with honours and has since accumulated over 25 years of experience as a specialist plastic surgeon. In this time, he has served as the President of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, as well as being the founding Chairman of the Australasian Foundation for Plastic Surgery. Dr Webster’s extensive training and industry experience have led him to co-author several chapters in plastic surgery texts, as well as teaching along other plastic surgeons.
Perhaps the biggest stage of patient research is when you decide to read up on the procedure which you are looking to have done. This can be a painstakingly difficult process, but it is perhaps the most important step. Dr Webster is passionate about ensuring that his patients are fully informed about each stage of the procedure, and that you understand the reason behind each cut and stitch. Furthermore, Dr Webster always ensures that he has gone through a thorough risk assessment with patients before he asks if they would like to proceed; taking the time to digest and consider all of this information is just as important as reading.
To help you with this stage of your research, we have three resources which you can use:
For information on the reason behind certain decisions:
The final stage of research which patients find most important is the consultation; some patients attend several consults with different surgeons to get multiple opinions and perspectives, and to get a feel for the surgeons themselves. If you are up to this stage in your research, but you are a bit hesitant to book a consultation because of concerns about being locked-in to a surgeon, or having to go into a clinic, do not fret. Dr Webster is conducting consultations over the phone or via video chat and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, we recognise that right now, patients may simply be looking to chat – we would not expect you to book in your surgery on the day of your consultation, and indeed on most occasions, Dr Webster will encourage you to take some time to make your decision.
So, as you continue your research project into choosing the right surgeon for your procedure, make sure you take the time to digest the information and consider what is right for you. If you are not yet up to the consultation stage of your research, try checking out the links above. If you are, feel free to give us a call and we will happily book you in for an online consult!
If you have any questions, we are always here to help.
