Information from Surgeons’ Offices
Getting and EvaLuating It
“A surgeon’s habits are reflected in every aspect of the surgeon’s practice. The quality and detail of a surgeon’s information materials should tell you a lot about the surgeon.”
You’ve obtained the names of several qualified surgeons, and you’ve checked their credentials. Now you’re ready to call their offices and request information. Before you pick up the phone, do you know what to request? Do you know what questions to ask about breast augmentation? Do you want to simply request information, or would you like to spend some time on the phone talking with someone about breast augmentation? What do you hope to learn from your call? What would you like to get from the surgeon? To get the most from your time, you need answers to each of these questions—before you call! Other sources of information can also help: the Internet, the FDA, and implant manufacturers. Once you’ve gathered the information, what do you do with it? How do you evaluate information from surgeons? Before you visit a surgeon, gathering and evaluating information will make you better informed and better able to evaluate the surgeon during your consultation.
Calling a Surgeon’S Office
When a prospective augmentation patient calls our office, these are the three most commonly asked questions:
How much does it cost? Which way does the surgeon like to do it? Which type of implant does the surgeon use?
In our opinion, these three questions are not the most important things you should focus on during your first call to a surgeon’s office. Yes, you may eventually want to know the answers to those questions. But initially, you might ask yourself, “Before I ask the price, is this a surgeon that I would even consider?” You can help answer this important question during your first phone call to a surgeon’s office.
If you really want to start off asking questions that will tell you the most, ask: How long will it be after my surgery until I can do all my normal activities, such as lifting my arms above my head and lying with my full weight on my breasts?
When will I be able to drive my car and lift all normal-weight objects?
Will I have bandages, drains, or straps, and will I need narcotic pain medications?
Rather than asking questions on your first call to a surgeon’s office, focus on listening.
Listen for three things in your first call to the office:
Courtesy, service, and Knowledge.
Courtesy
How does the surgeon’s office staff answer the telephone? If you select this surgeon, you’ll be dealing with this staff before and after your surgery. Does the person who answers the phone have a name? What is it? Are you told? If not, I’d immediately hang up and try another surgeon!
Are you put on hold? For how long? Were you given a choice of a call back rather than holding? While wasting your time on hold (a discourtesy), is the surgeon trying to sell you additional operations with quasi-tasteful recorded commercials? Rather than listening to recorded commercials on hold, wouldn’t it be nice to get substance and information without ever staying on hold? If your time is of no value to the surgeon now, how much more of your time will he or she waste in the course of caring for you?
Is the person on the other end of the line cheerful and enthusiastic, or is the attitude, “Yeah, what do you want?” Is the person appreciative that you chose to call this office? After all, you will be paying a substantial amount of money and could potentially refer more patients.
Is the person listening to you and your questions (a courtesy)? Or does the person immediately launch into something that sounds like a recorded answering machine, giving you answers to questions you didn’t ask and don’t need to know? What should you listen for?
We’re glad you called us. We respect your time. I am listening to you. I want to give you information that will help you make the best decisions, whether you come to see us or not. I’m going to do everything I can to help you and make you want to come and see us.
Service
Plastic surgery, especially cosmetic plastic surgery, is a service-oriented business. At least, it should be. You aren’t sick. You don’t require emergency care. You are choosing to have an operation that is not medically necessary, taking certain risks, and spending a considerable amount of money in the process. Why shouldn’t you expect good service?
Service in plastic surgery means meeting your needs now, during your first call!
To meet your needs, a surgeon’s personnel must first show the courtesy of listening to your needs. What information are you seeking? What are you trying to achieve? If they don’t listen or they immediately try to sell you two more operations or services you didn’t ask for, beware!
Service means making things easy for you. Is every single word or question difficult? If you ask whether the surgeon does augmentation, does it take a while to receive the answer? Does every question seem to be an imposition or a problem? Does the person offer to send you information? Is it sent in a timely manner? Did someone call to be sure you received it? The only message you should hear is:
I want to make this easy for you. I want to help you whether you come to see us or not. Let’s get started.
But what if you don’t really know what you need?
One of the highest forms of service is helping you understand what you might need in a knowledgeable, friendly, no-pressure manner.
Another highest form of service is to provide information that can help you make the best decisions regardless of which surgeon you choose.
Which brings us to our next important point...
To help you understand your needs, a surgeon’s staff must give you good information using terms that are easy to understand—and that requires knowledge!
Knowledge
One of the very best ways to judge a surgeon is to listen carefully to the surgeon’s staff. The staff is a reflection of the surgeon.
I’ve never seen a highly knowledgeable staff that worked for an average-level surgeon.