By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    physical health
    5 Ways Playing Games Can Improve Neural and Physical Health
    September 9, 2022
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    February 16, 2022
    healthcare organization
    5 Actionable Strategies For Healthcare Organizations
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
    September 10, 2025
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    5 Basic Types Of Eye Tests That Are Part Of An Eye Exam
    September 24, 2018
    Knowledge About Malpractice Lawsuits Can Give You Some Peace | Healthcare Career Resources
    Knowledge About Malpractice Lawsuits Can Give You Some Peace
    September 18, 2020
    How Your Job Can Impact Your Health
    December 11, 2018
    Latest News
    Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
    September 9, 2025
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: How to Find the Right Surgeon: Advice For Boomers
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > How to Find the Right Surgeon: Advice For Boomers
Public Health

How to Find the Right Surgeon: Advice For Boomers

joan justice
joan justice
Share
8 Min Read
Image
SHARE

 

The two most common types of surgery for Boomers are joint replacements for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip,  and cosmetic surgery.  How do you go about finding the top surgeon in these fields?

 

The two most common types of surgery for Boomers are joint replacements for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip,  and cosmetic surgery.  How do you go about finding the top surgeon in these fields?

More Read

Image
Introducing the Health “Prosumer”
Is Your Name One of the Top Ten Baby Names?, and Other Links
Teachers Get Free Botox in Buffalo
FDA Criticized for Lack of Controls over Increasing Prescription Narcotic Abuse
The “7 Deadly Sins” That Lead to Preventable Readmissions

Finding a surgeon that you can trust to do a great job is important and often difficult.  Asking family and friends is the way most people search, but it is not always the best way.  Different people want different types of care and just because your neighbor had a great experience with her surgeon doesn’t mean that surgeon is right for you.  Ask around, of course, but do other research as well.

And before you start looking, make sure you have realistic expectations.  A joint replacement is not going to ensure that you can run the next marathon.  Playing golf or tennis doubles a couple of times a week is a more realistic goal.  And as for cosmetic surgery, remember, plastic surgeons are surgeons, not magicians.  Decision Aids are available for knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis.  These are great programs developed by The Informed Medical Decisions Foundation to help patients evaluate themselves and make the best decision for their individual situation.Image

If you are considering a joint replacement, you can get a feel for what you are getting into by reading articles such as OrthoInfo’s Total Joint Replacement, a good piece put together by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery have good websites with search features for cosmetic surgeons and tips on how to choose a surgeon.

If you know anyone who is a surgeon, ask him to ask colleagues about a surgeon specialized in the area you are interested in.  If you know a medical student, administrator, nurse or other healthcare professional, get his advice also.  Most doctors can find out who the top people are in a specific field if they ask around. 

If you live near a large hospital, check out their specialty departments.  And if you live near a large city, check out the hospitals there also.  But do not make geographic proximity to you the only priority.  You may have to travel to get the care you need.

Be organized and diligent.  Choosing the right surgeon may take some time, but it is an important decision. Make a list of names of surgeons that you think may be right for you.  If you are having trouble finding any names at all, start by going to a site such as Healthgrades which lists doctors and includes their hospital affiliations, years in practice, insurance accepted and office locations. You can also find a photo of the doctor, his age and where he went to medical school.   Angie’s List (angieslist.com) has started consumer ratings of A to F for doctors; and Consumers’ Checkbook (checkbook.org) provides detailed consumer ratings of physicians in seven metropolitan areas but these two sites require payment. WebMD also has lists of doctors but they offer no additional information.  And you can find doctors on ZocDoc and even book appointments, but information may be spotty in some areas as although they do cover more than 1700 cities and more than 40% of the US population, ZocDoc is not quite nationwide yet.  ZocDoc does list the insurance carriers that the doctors accept so you can check to see if your carrier is on the list. 

At a minimum, any surgeon should be licensed (you can confirm that on sites such as docboard) and certified in the specialty area you are interested in (you can confirm that on sites such as certificationmatters).  Healthgrades also has an option to check for board certification and an option to screen for ‘no sanction or malpractice’.

Some surgeons have a private practice while others are affiliated with teaching hospitals or private clinics.  In either case, there should be a website you can visit to get a feel for the provider and perhaps the individual physician.  Some websites have videos of doctors actually “talking” to you which is useful; you can observe body language and speech and presentation style if that is important to you.  And it goes without saying that you should google all doctors on your list to see what their digital footprint is. You can check and see if they are invited to lecture and if they have published any clinical studies.  Any information you can obtain is helpful, but do not make a decision based on only one variable.

If you are looking for a joint replacement surgeon, another variable is the prosthesis itself.  Each joint replacement surgeon usually has one or several “favorite” prostheses that he uses.  If you want to venture into the type of prosthesis used, be aware that there are many prostheses available (at all different prices) and the information is pretty technical. The surgeon may have a business “relationship” with the prosthesis manufacturer, meaning that he speaks out for the prosthesis at trade shows or conducts clinical studies on its use.  This is common and is not [IMHO] necessarily negative.  By all means, ask the surgeon about the prosthesis used, why he uses it, what the cost is,  and why he believes it would be the one to use in your situation.

When you have narrowed the field down, you should interview at least 2 surgeons.  Get an appointment and go in for a consultation.  Have a list of questions with you.  Observe everything: office area, receptionist, efficiency, wait times, length of time spent with the surgeon and general feel of the experience.

Some considerations:

  • What was the surgeon’s general assesment of your situation?
  • What type of treatment did he suggest?
  • How did he describe the surgery?
  • How did he describe the rehab/convalescence period?
  • What did he think of other alternatives?
  • How much did he say the procedure would cost?
  • What did he say about longterm prognosis?

Choosing a surgeon is usually not a quick nor easy process.  It is an important decision and time should be spent on its undertaking.  Do your homework and plan your strategy.  I have tried to help here in some minor ways.  Know that ultimately, you are the one who has to feel comfortable with your choice.  So listen to everyone and research everything that you can, but make your own decision.

 

 image: surgeon/shutterstock

 

 

TAGGED:doctor/patient relationship
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Physicians Should Be Part of Online HealthCare Discussions

March 26, 2012
doctor/patient relationship
Health ReformMedical Education

Patient Satisfaction and P4P – Three Things Doctors Need to Know

February 11, 2013
medicare
BusinessHealth ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Will “Medicare As We Know It” Persist, or Will It Change?

June 14, 2013
king for a day
BusinessHealth ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Healthcare Executives – Keep Calm and Be A King for A Day

August 14, 2015
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?