Just how "experienced" is the ps?

dberg · 05-08-2006, 08:57 AM

My insurance company has sent me to the only ps in the network that has been trained to do DIEP. I asked his office staff how many he has done and they said "a few", which is not experienced enough as far as I'm concerned. I plan to pin him down this week for the number, but want to know if there is a way to find out how many procedures a surgeon does. Is it published anywhere?

I want numbers before I go head to head with my insurance co again.

Thanks,
Diane

Sheila · 05-08-2006, 12:36 PM

Diane

When it comes to a plastic surgeon, they should give you numbers and show you results from surgeries they have done...I know when I had reconstruction, they took a mass of photos for future patients to see the before and after....they cut my head off of course....I felt like a playboy model!!!
I wouldn't let any ps do my reconstruction until I saw their work!

Lauriemn · 05-08-2006, 04:17 PM

Hi Diane
It is also important to ask what % of the time he has to do a tram flap instead. The first ps I saw had done 50 -60 dieps, but he said that he had to do a tram flap 50% of the time. It is a decision that cannot be made until they are in surgery. Based on that I have decided to go to New Orleans to the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery. They will do the diep flap 100% of the time and they have done over a thousand of them.
I am also fighting with my ins to get it covered as in network.
Laurie