In this blog, I will discuss some tips for choosing a surgeon, and talking to them about your surgery. I am aware that in cases of emergency, socialized medicine or medical providers that offer limited options, that choice of a doctor is not a luxury that everyone has access to. However in all cases we have some choices and exercising them to the best of our ability aligns us with our most positive outcome. How we choose to communicate with our doctor is one of the choices that we always have.
When we are contemplating a surgery, as with many other situations in life, we are faced with a delicate balance between doing what we can to achieve the best results and surrendering to that over which we have no power. Once the surgery begins, it is time to surrender and entrust our body to the capable hands of the professional who will be performing our surgery.
Choosing a Surgeon
When it is possible to choose our surgeon there are several questions to ask of the doctor and of oneself, many of which I have mentioned in previous blogs or bonuses.
Questions to Ask Yourself
✅ Do I have confidence in this doctor’s skill and level of experience?
The surgeon’s expertise is possibly the biggest factor in the outcome of a surgery. Careful research about this surgeon’s track record and skill are essential for making the best choice. It is important to note that age is not always the best indicator. Sometimes younger surgeons have developed skill in newer, less invasive methods than older surgeons who learned to do their surgery when there were less modern options available.
✅ Do I trust this person? Are they kind? Are they attentive to my concerns?
When a doctor asks you if you have any questions and then takes the time to answer them, this is already a sign that they are considering you and willing to listen. It is also an indication that they are working within a system that allows them time to interact with their patients. (In many institutionalized situations, the doctor is only allowed a short time for a consultation.)
✅ Do I feel respected? What does my intuition tell me?
Questions to Ask the Surgeon
✅ How many surgeries of this type have you performed?
✅ What is the success rate and what is the average recovery time?
✅ How many years of experience do you have as a surgeon?
✅ Do you have a team that you work with and trust?
✅ Do you work with a specific anesthesiologist? How long have you worked together?
✅ Do you have a preferred or recommended hospital for the surgery?
✅ Are you willing and able to say yes to my requests?
Want more? Get my FREE checklist of factors that reduce surgical trauma.
Important Observation
Just because the surgeon says yes to the requests from the checklist does not necessarily mean that these requests will be respected. I have been exposed to situations, working with clients and accompanying friends or family in surgeries where the doctor said one thing in the conversation, and something quite different happened on the day of the surgery. This is why clear communication, trust and respect are vital.
Talking to Your Surgeon
When talking to your surgeon it is important to come from a calm, centered and well-informed place. This is true whether you have chosen your surgeon or whether fate, the system or the situation has chosen your surgeon for you.
Here are some elements to take into consideration.
Humanize the Relationship: Remember that in front of you sits another human being. A human being who has dedicated their life to helping others. They may not know you yet and or know the particulars about what you need for the best surgical experience. Talk to your doctor from your own experience. And invite them to connect from a place in you that is kind and considerate, as you wish them to be kind and considerate with you.
Power Dynamic: Our culture teaches us to give up power for our bodies to doctors and the medical profession. This can lead to a patient not asking the important questions, not requesting what they need and subsequently not getting what they need. It is important to remember that you are the customer–you are paying (or your socialized medicine or insurance is paying) and you have the right to ask questions and to ask for what you want. Spending some time to think about how you can go to meet your surgeon feeling like the owner of your body and a customer who deserves to be well treated and informed can counteract the cultural conditioning that we have all absorbed to blindly trust in the medical system.
Research the Procedure: Take the time to research the procedure that you plan to have–the various options available, how it works and what the pros and cons of each variant of the procedure are. This way, you will be able to meet your doctor from a more empowered place and to ask educated questions that will bring you the best results.
Most of the considerations in this blog are simple, common-sense considerations. However, when we are frightened about our health and facing the unknown, we can very quickly forget to listen to our intuition and to ask questions and make requests that help us to feel more empowered and make better decisions. It is my sincere hope that this blog helps those who read it, to remember their common sense, their center and their sovereignty over their own bodies when facing both big and little decisions that have to do with their health.