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Seeking a Safer Surgery: States Crack Down on Doctors Who Perform Unregulated Outpatient Procedures
It disturbs and saddens me each time that I hear of a bad outcome in relation to an elective cosmetic surgery. Luckily, these cases are few and far between, and in many instances seem to be the result of insufficient safety standards or post-operative medical monitoring. I was pleased, then, to read that The Wall Street Journal recently published a report discussing recent crackdowns by states across the country on office-based outpatient surgery. I hope that by increasing awareness of the problem and by enforcing higher safety standards, these unfortunate potentially preventable outcomes will be a thing of the past.
According to the report, 17 percent of outpatient surgeries occur in physician offices, many of which are not accredited. New York and California, among other states, now requires accreditation of all physician offices that perform surgery requiring moderate or deep sedation, and violators will face stiff penalties from the state medical board.
In states without regulation, physicians can perform surgery in their offices as long as they have a medical license, although some do voluntarily undergo accreditation.
According to the report, outpatient surgeries account for 65 percent of all surgeries in the country, and the number of outpatient surgeries has increased 20 percent in the last 20 years. Of these, 45 percent are performed at hospital outpatient departments and 38 percent occur at Ambulatory Surgery Centers, both of which are generally considered to be safe.
Before undergoing any procedure, it is important to adopt the “buyer beware” stance in order to ensure that you will be in the safest environment possible. Elective cosmetic surgery should be a positive and rewarding experience.
Read the full article in the The Wall Street Journal at:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203946904574300971306299860.html
About Dr. Chang
Dr. Carolyn Chang is one of San Francisco’s premier plastic surgeons, known for delivering the most naturally beautiful results. She is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Chang serves as the Vice-Chairman for the Department of Plastic Surgery at California Pacific Medical Center.
Dr. Chang specializes in cosmetic surgery. In particular, her areas of expertise include natural facial rejuvenation and mommy makeover procedures. She is an expert in the natural SMAS-Platysma facelift and is known for delivering the most naturally beautiful results. She is also one of San Francisco’s premier mommy makeover specialists, specializing in breast surgery and body contouring and she currently performs one of the largest volumes in the area of post-pregnancy rejuvenation.
Dr. Chang’s aesthetic judgments and superb surgical skills have drawn attention from television producers, beauty editors, skin care companies, and professional associations who call upon her for her knowledge of plastic surgery advancements and professional expertise. CNN, The Doctors, and National Geographic have recently sought her professional expertise for their programming. Harper’s Bazaar Magazine named Dr. Chang on their Hot List of the 24 Best Beauty Surgeons, and W Magazine named Dr. Chang one of America’s top doctors for revisional plastic surgery.
Dr. Chang is known for her natural results and exceptional sense of aesthetics. With a “who’s who” roster of celebrity patients, including actors, musicians, artists, dignitaries, and socials, Dr. Chang is one of the country’s most sought-after plastic surgeons.
Dr. Chang and her husband Patrick King live in San Francisco, with the joy of their life, daughter Jacqueline.
For more information about Dr.Chang, please visit www.drcarolynchang.com.
