How To Choose the Right General Surgeon for You

As you’re aware, there are numerous diagnoses patients can receive for what ails them. And, there are just as many, if not more, treatment options that can improve their health, putting them back on a wellness path once again. If your general practitioner or physician specialist has recommended surgery for you, you probably realize not all surgeons are created equally. So, how do you choose the right surgeon for you? Keep reading where we’ll share factors you want to keep in mind when evaluating your options.

What Are the Qualities of a Good Surgeon?

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) created a checklist for medical students to use in assessing their aptitude for becoming surgeons. On that list, they listed the following attributes as ones doctors should have if they want to specialize in the surgical field:

• Enjoying taking responsibility for others and having a decisive role in their lives
• Having an interest in working in a team environment
• Being intrigued by taking on complex cases involving physical and mental impairments affecting severely ill patients
• Thriving in critical thinking scenarios, including when tasked with making on-the-fly decisions
• Feeling motivated by seeing the daily progress critically ill or injured patients make after surgical interventions
• Enjoying the thrill of learning new technologies and technical skills

While it’s helpful to know which attributes a professional organization such as the ACS deems to be most appropriate for prospective surgeons, that doesn’t tell you much about how to confirm a doctor is best suited to handle your surgery.

What Questions Should You Ask When Looking for a New Doctor?

In case you haven’t done so already, start list of prospective physicians who might be suitable to handle your surgery. A good place to start building this list may be by:

• Asking your referring physician for recommendations
• Checking with family, friends, and colleagues for anyone they might have previously used
• Searching your insurance directory for in-network general surgeons
• Reading online reviews for surgeons and surgical centers

Once you’ve finished compiling a list of prospective surgeon candidates, you’ll want to perhaps visit their websites to see if one of the physician’s approaches resonates with you. Once narrowed down, reaching out to the different surgical centers to schedule a consultation may be appropriate.

You should come prepared with a list of questions to ask any doctor you’re considering having perform your surgery, including:

• How much experience do they have performing the surgery you require
• What their success rate is in carrying out the same operation on other patients
• How long you can expect your recovery process to last
• What your prognosis should be once fully healed

You may also feel inclined to ask about the benefits of opting for treatment with a general surgeon over a specialist.

Benefits in Using a General Surgeon

When it comes to choosing a specialist or generalist surgeon, you may find that the latter is best. Why is that? General surgeons have a broader knowledge base of medical conditions and the body’s nine basic surgical areas, including the skin and soft tissues, neck and head, digestive system, abdomen, heart and blood vessels, and endocrine systems. Additionally, general surgeons are trained to surgically treat traumatic injuries as well as cancer.

So, according to WebMD, patients benefit from seeing a general surgeon because they have a more comprehensive knowledge of body systems, whether surgery is recommended to treat it, and if so, what type of surgical procedure is most appropriate.

What To Know About Our General Surgeon’s Experience

Our general surgeon, Dr. Alvaro Garcia, is experienced in performing various surgical procedures, including the following frequently:

• Gastric bypass (bariatric surgery)
• Hernia repair
• Gastric reflux
• Colon surgery

So, if you or a loved one is unwell and you want to learn more about whether surgery is right for you, reach out. And, if you are looking for a second opinion, as a general surgeon, Dr. Alvaro Garcia can also go over whether a surgical intervention or alternatives are best suited for you after reviewing your medical records and performing a physical examination of you. Contact our medical office, General & Bariatric Surgery of South Florida, by phone or email to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your options today.