Any surgeon able to do breast augmentations?

[AEnomore]

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I understand that "any doctor can perform any procedure within their own suite" but practically speaking, do you have to have done a plastics residency/fellowship to perform breast augmentations? Do any GS programs (or other residencies/certification programs or something) let you practice such procedures? Given the "any doctor can perform any procedure" thing, you could hang out a shingle and do it in your suite after, say, an IM residency but the insurance costs (if anyone at all were willing to insure you) would make it not feasible, right?

 

[KLPM]

I can finally establish that combined neurology + neurosurgery + ophthalmology + ENT +radiology + general practice solo practice I've always wanted.

 

[AEnomore]

So no other ways to do it besides a fellowship or residency and the thing stopping you is... Nobody will come to you for the surgery? What if you Dr. Nick it for a while internationally?

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

Why do you want to do a procedure you aren't qualified to do? You owe your patients more than that.

 

[AEnomore]

I was asking if there were other methods to become qualified. Sounds like a "no".

 

[cpants]

Theoretically you can, but no hospital or surgericenter is going to privelege you to do it unless you can show adequate experience and training in the procedure.

 

[DoctwoB]

I understand that "any doctor can perform any procedure within their own suite" but practically speaking, do you have to have done a plastics residency/fellowship to perform breast augmentations? Do any GS programs (or other residencies/certification programs or something) let you practice such procedures? Given the "any doctor can perform any procedure" thing, you could hang out a shingle and do it in your suite after, say, an IM residency but the insurance costs (if anyone at all were willing to insure you) would make it not feasible, right?

Maybe . . . If you (1) owned your own surgicenter (2) didn't accept insurance (3) went without malpractice insurance (4) lived in a state where (3) is legal (5) Could find any patients crazy enough to pay you cash.

 

[badasshairday]

forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=807241Yes you can this oral surgeon does it.

 

[OtoHNS]

Theoretically you can, but no hospital or surgericenter is going to privelege you to do it unless you can show adequate experience and training in the procedure.

This. And if anything goes wrong, you'll have no defense in the ensuing lawsuit.

That being said, I know of at least 1 general surgeon who does breast augs and other plastics procedures in his office.

 

[survivordo]

Cosmetic plastics is the LAST area I would want to get into without the backup of Malpractice/Being Licensed seems like someone neurotic enough to get this type of thing done is also neurotic enough to sue if it doesn't look JUST right. Just my opinion... we don't do a ton of plastics in my program.

Survivor DO

 

[Winged Scapula]

Clearly there are legal and ethical issues here.

Legally anyone who holds an unrestricted medical license can perform surgery. If you are performing the procedure in your office, then you are not restricted by hospital or surgery center credentialing committees in terms of what procedures or surgeries you may perform.
Thus, even without a aesthetic breast fellowship or a plastic surgery residency, you may perform augmentations.

Hospitals and surgery centers are not likely to credential you however to perform procedures and surgeries for which you are not properly trained. Thus, you will not be able to do them in such a facility.

My malpractice insurance requires an additional rider for plastic surgery procedures; there is a reason for that. You can bet, as others have noted, that you will be raked over the coals for your lack of "real" training should you have a complication or a lawsuit. Breast patients are VERY high maintenance and VERY litiginous. Do not kid yourself. There are tons of other procedures you could be doing with a LOT less hassle. I deal with these patients every day and accept the liability but see no reason why someone would take that on unless it were the main focus of their practice.

Are there non-surgeons doing breast augmentations? Absolutely.
Are there surgeons who have minimal training during residency who do breast augmentations? Absolutely.
Is it ethical and appropriate? IMHO absolutely not.

 

[AEnomore]

Seems like these docs would have some sort of coverage for the procedures they're performing so they don't go bankrupt the first time someone sues; maybe they just pay out the wazoo but such policies are available?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Seems like these docs would have some sort of coverage for the procedures they're performing so they don't go bankrupt the first time someone sues; maybe they just pay out the wazoo but such policies are available?

Sure you can get malpractice policies to cover you for the standard $1MIL/3MIL. They aren't that pricey unless you've a long history of actions requiring settlement or defense. The company's job is to make money off you - if you can convince them that you have adequate training for what you are planning to do, then you can get a policy.

 

[AEnomore]

But I'm talking about for these cases mentioned above where some surgeons are performing procedures outside of their training. How do they get adequate insurance?

 

[Winged Scapula]

But I'm talking about for these cases mentioned above where some surgeons are performing procedures outside of their training. How do they get adequate insurance?

That's what I'm talking about.

Its up to the insurer as to what they'll cover, what documentation of training they require and what they charge. They may require different documentation.

For example, here is the supplemental application my insurer requires for anyone doing Cosmetic Surgery who is not a Plastic Surgeon. At the bottom you can see the request for documentation that one is trained to do these procedures.

 

[AEnomore]

So presumably, as in the cases above, perhaps, there are some insurance providers that will cover you even if you've had NO training on the procedures?

 

[poorracerkid]

So presumably, as in the cases above, perhaps, there are some insurance providers that will cover you even if you've had NO training on the procedures?

Good luck with that. I worked on the business side of medical practices in a former life and I can say that's going to be a tall order to say the least.

 

[Winged Scapula]

So presumably, as in the cases above, perhaps, there are some insurance providers that will cover you even if you've had NO training on the procedures?

I think that highly unlikely and perhaps you misunderstood my attachment above. The point was that if you're not plastic surgery trained, you must submit documentation specific to the types of cases you are asking for medical liability coverage. That being said, I have no idea what sort of training would be acceptable before they would offer you a policy.

I think you could reasonably expect an inverse relationship between amount of training and cost of premiums.