Your Safety Depends on More Than Just Surgical Skill: Why Hospital Privileges Are Your Plastic Surgery Safety Net
When choosing a plastic surgeon, most patients focus on before-and-after photos, credentials, and cost. However, one critical safety factor often gets overlooked: hospital privileges. In the rare event that a complication arises during or after a plastic surgery procedure, having hospital privileges allows the surgeon to admit the patient to the hospital quickly and efficiently. Hospital privileges are essential for patient safety. Understanding what hospital privileges mean and why they matter could be the difference between a safe surgical experience and a potentially dangerous one.
What Are Hospital Privileges and Why Do They Matter?
When a hospital deems a physician qualified to use the equipment and facilities at the hospital, they are considered to have “hospital privileges.” This is a mark of confidence from a formal hospital committee, as well as peers in the medical field. To obtain hospital privileges, plastic surgeons must undergo a rigorous credentialing process, which typically includes a thorough review of their education, training, experience, and professional qualifications. This process ensures that the surgeon meets strict standards for quality and safety, providing additional reassurance for patients.
Having privileges to admit patients and operate at a reputable hospital means the plastic surgeon has satisfied the hospital’s credentialing committee, the Medical Board and Board of Trustees of that Institution, and that they are competent and qualified to perform the procedures they’ve been granted credentials to perform. For many patients, it’s a great comfort to know that a plastic surgeon’s performance, background and experience are under review by his or her peers and colleagues.
The Safety Benefits of Hospital Privileges
Hospital privileges provide multiple layers of protection for plastic surgery patients. Plastic surgeons with hospital privileges have access to a wide range of resources, including specialized equipment, highly skilled staff, and the latest technologies. This allows the surgeon to provide a higher standard of care and to handle more complex cases that may require advanced techniques or specialized facilities.
Perhaps most importantly, if a patient experiences a medical emergency during a procedure or while recovering from surgery, having hospital privileges enables the plastic surgeon to seamlessly coordinate with hospital staff, ensuring timely and appropriate emergency care. A surgeon without hospital privileges will not be allowed by a hospital to care for you.
Red Flags: When Your Surgeon Lacks Hospital Privileges
It should be a red flag if your prospective plastic surgeon does not have hospital operating privileges. Another great question for your doctor: if you have a surgical complication that requires admission to a hospital, do they have privileges at that hospital to continue treating you? The hospital grants privileges to practice medicine only in the field you’re board certified in. So if you get admitted to a hospital for a complication associated with a previously-performed breast procedure, that general practitioner will not be allowed to treat you once admitted.
That sets up a strange dynamic wherein your doctor can no longer be your doctor because the hospital doesn’t recognize their certification. Once that happens, you start to wonder, “why wasn’t I aware of those details before surgery?”
The Credentialing Process: A Rigorous Safety Check
Obtaining hospital privileges typically involves a rigorous credentialing process, during which the hospital evaluates the healthcare professional’s education, training, experience, and professional qualifications. This process ensures that the practitioner meets the hospital’s strict standards for quality, safety, and competency. Their credentialing process is very thorough and it typically takes months to complete. A surgeon is granted privileges to perform plastic surgery only after proof of competency, training in an accredited residency and the proper board certification.
Hospital privileges require a plastic surgeon to participate in regular peer reviews and quality assessments. This helps maintain the surgeon’s professional development, adherence to best practices, and commitment to continuous improvement in patient care.
Choosing Excellence in Fairfield County
For patients seeking a Plastic Surgeon Fairfield County, Dr. Chang Soo Kim exemplifies the importance of comprehensive credentials and patient safety. Drawing from his extensive surgical experience and academic training, Dr. Chang Soo Kim provides comprehensive cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. At our Joint Commission Accredited facility in Fairfield County, Dr. Kim performs a wide range of plastic surgery procedures.
He also dedicates himself to each patient, providing personalized, uncompromised care. Dr. Kim’s cosmetic surgery techniques enhance one’s natural beauty without appearing artificial or overdone. The practice’s commitment to safety is evident in their accredited facility and comprehensive approach to patient care.
Beyond Hospital Privileges: Additional Safety Considerations
While hospital privileges are crucial, they’re part of a broader safety framework. An accredited facility is one that must meet strict national standards for equipment, operating room safety, personnel and surgeon credentials. Plastic surgery performed by board-certified plastic surgeons in accredited ambulatory facilities – also known as outpatient surgery centers or same day surgery centers – has an excellent safety record.
Do you have hospital privileges to perform this specific procedure, and at which hospital? Hospital privileges mean that even if a surgeon is performing the procedure in an office-based setting, he or she has also provided proof of education, medical training, legal information, references and documentation to hospital committees.
Questions to Ask Your Surgeon
Before scheduling any plastic surgery procedure, patients should ask their surgeon these critical questions:
- Do you have hospital privileges to perform this specific procedure?
- At which hospital do you have privileges?
- Are you board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
- Is your surgical facility accredited?
- What happens if I need emergency care during or after my procedure?
The Bottom Line: Your Safety Is Non-Negotiable
In summary, hospital privileges for plastic surgeons are crucial in ensuring patient safety, maintaining high standards of care, and providing access to a wide range of resources and collaborative opportunities. Patients should consider choosing a plastic surgeon with hospital privileges for the added reassurance that their surgeon has been thoroughly vetted and has access to the necessary resources to manage their care effectively.
Even if you end up having your procedure at a surgical center (and not a hospital), the hospital privileges are a good sign that your surgeon knows what they’re doing. When it comes to plastic surgery, cutting corners on safety credentials is never worth the risk. Choose a surgeon who has earned the trust of hospital committees and can provide comprehensive care throughout your surgical journey.