-by Lauren Andreacchi, Patient Consultant for Dr. William J. Koenig, double board-certified plastic surgeon
You may have been researching a particular procedure and are ready to move forward, but how do you know which surgeon to go to? Learning more about a surgery is one thing, but deciding which plastic surgeon to trust with their surgical procedure can be overwhelming for people in Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse, NY.
When someone calls our office to learn more, our Patient Consultants provide information about the surgeons’ educational backgrounds, training, and experience, while offering a few suggestions of what to look for in a surgeon to help make the search a little easier. Above all, we want people to choose a surgeon who they are comfortable with and who will prioritize their safety. We happily guide them on what to look for in a surgeon to ensure the right fit.
Besides Board Certification, What Else Is Important?
In addition to board certification and years of experience, patients should consider their surgeon’s service offerings. Many plastic surgeons, especially in the Rochester market, as well as in surrounding markets, offer head-to-toe plastic surgery. This includes both facial, breast and body plastic surgery, and can also include hand surgery. Most surgeons also offer a mix of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. Reconstructive procedures include surgery after trauma, cancer, etc. and many doctors, especially those in hospital settings, do a significant number of these procedures.
While it’s great that many doctors offer such a wide variety of services, this is where the Quatela Center has a unique position in the market. Each surgeon is truly a specialist in their respective area. For example, while Dr. Koenig is a double board-certified plastic surgeon (which means he can do all of these types of surgeries), he has narrowed his focus to ONLY cosmetic procedures of the breast and body. He has also limited his offerings to just a small handful of procedures. Similarly, Drs. Quatela, Lee, Amalfi, and Montague all specialize in their areas of expertise, either facial or breast and body plastic surgery.
In surgery, repetition is key. The more you do of anything, the better you become. The few procedures Dr. Koenig does offer, he has done a high volume of and has perfected his technique while minimizing complications. This offers patients a highly-specialized and experienced surgeon.
What About Price?
While price shopping procedures, it is important to take these factors of specialization into consideration. At the Quatela Center, we do not offer the lowest prices available, but we are confident that we will deliver the best possible surgical results to our patients. The price difference is worth it to our patients since they value their peace of mind related to this lifelong result. And it’s not only about the procedure itself, but the entire experience from start to finish; from the office, to the operating room, to the products (such as implants) used, to the follow-up care provided.
One Last Word of Advice
As you research, be careful as many doctors will say they “specialize in an area,” but ideally, they will “specialize exclusively” in that area. If you’re unsure of what your doctor does, look on their website to see what procedures they offer or ask them directly what they do.
Above all, what’s most important is your safety. Take the time to learn more about your surgeon, look through his or her results, and get a good understanding of what procedures they do. And if you still aren’t sure, meet with a couple of surgeons to see what the atmosphere at the office is like and to see which surgeon you feel most comfortable with.
For more information about our surgeons and the procedures they offer, call (585) 244-1000 to speak to a Patient Consultant.
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