Each year, many Louisiana residents with joint, bone, muscle, tendon, ligament or nerve problems will seek out surgery to improve their condition. To treat these aches and pains efficiently, it’s important to find the most qualified orthopedic surgeon in New Orleans.
While it may take a bit of research, finding an orthopedic surgeon who combines surgical skill with a collaborative philosophy of care will help ensure you have a positive experience and the best outcome.
In initial conversations, take note of the communication style and bedside manner of your surgeon. The right orthopedic surgeon in New Orleans should earn your trust and make you feel confident and comfortable about his or her abilities. During the initial conversation, take mental notes about your level of comfort and the overall dynamic between the two of you.
Ask yourself these questions:
• Do they speak openly and honestly?
• Do they take the time to completely answer your questions?
• Are they caring and compassionate?
• Did they explain all of your options, including the risks?
• Do they involve you in decisions about your care?
• When you are finished talking, do you feel that you understand your options?
Ask your surgeons questions to determine their experience and expectations for surgery because even the most common surgical procedures carry some level of risk. To learn more about a surgeon’s track record, consider asking:
• How many times have you performed this procedure this year?
• How involved were you in each surgery?
• Did you handle the opening incision? The closing sutures?
• What role do residents and other practitioners play in this procedure?
• What are the risks?
• What are the most common complications and how are they treated?
• How long can I expect my recovery to take?
• How will I feel in one month? Two months? Three months?
Consider the importance of training and certification when picking a surgeon.
Where a surgeon completed his or her training is more important than where they practice now. Urban hospitals may be bigger and appear to have more clinical influence than a local hospital, but it’s really each surgeon’s individual skill that’s most important. Review the credentials of the orthopedic surgeon in New Orleans, particularly whether or not he or she is board certified and where the surgeon completed training, residency and fellowship.
Think about the long-term variables of your care. Your surgery may require multiple follow-up appointments, which can be stressful, costly, time consuming and physically exhausting when you’re recuperating, especially if you’ll need to travel a significant distance to appointments. Ask your orthopedic surgeon in New Orleans about the complexity of the procedure and the level of follow-up care that will be required, with questions like.
Read the reviews. Online reviews aren’t always the best measurement of a physician’s clinical expertise, but they can provide insight into a surgeon’s bedside manner and how the support staff treats patients. Look for reviews that seem authentic and include specific information about the experience.
Choosing a local facility means you’ll not only have the convenience of being close to home, but you’ll also have access to seasoned, highly-skilled surgeons and cutting-edge surgical options. You’ll receive the highest quality of care, including the latest protocols in anesthesia, pain management and rehabilitation, so you’ll recover with the best possible outcome.
Armed with the answers to the questions above, decide what matters most to you about your care and the orthopedic surgeon in New Orleans that you will entrust with it. Then call our office to schedule a consultation.