Using Patient Reviews to Find a Plastic Surgeon

Choosing the right surgeon is the most important decision you will make about your plastic surgery. For your experience to be successful you must find a surgeon that is experienced, skilled, trustworthy and compassionate — and finding these qualities can seem impossible when you are starting your search. Dr. Joseph Michaels encourages interested plastic surgery candidates to consider patient reviews when conducting their search for a surgeon.

Here is why:

Provides a Snapshot of the Patient Experience

In many cases, patient reviews will be your first impression of a doctor. Reviews written by former patients are valuable because they are candid and unfiltered. There is no incentive for a patient to skew positive or negative, so you can be confident their testimony is true. Also, doctors cannot pay to have their reviews or ratings altered or removed. Many review sites offer a ratings system, where patients can assign their doctor a numerical value.

When browsing patient reviews, it is important to consider the source. Use trusted websites, like Google My Business and Yelp. Note patterns within the reviews — do patients tend to identify the same quality in their surgeon? Do they identify a certain staff member for being particularly helpful? Look for keywords like “professional,” “friendly” and “easy-to-talk-to.”

Only One Piece of the Puzzle

As important as they are, patient reviews are only one piece of the puzzle. Other important factors when choosing a plastic surgeon include the following:

• Credentials and experience – where did the surgeon go to medical school and complete their plastic surgery residency? How long have they been in practice? How many procedures have they performed?
• Quality of work – to get an idea of the results typical of the surgeon, look through the before-and-after images in the patient photo gallery.
• “Bedside manner” – how do you feel when you are speaking with the surgeon? Do they make you feel comfortable and cared for? Are they trustworthy? Candid? Reassuring?

Contact Dr. Joseph Michaels

If you would like to browse through some of Dr. Michaels’ patient reviews, please visit his Google My Business and Yelp pages.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Michaels and discuss your personal cosmetic goals, please contact Michaels Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. Dr. MIchaels has office in both North Bethesda, MD and Fairfax, VA. You can call (301) 468-5991 or (703) 957-8610, or fill out our email contact form.