|
|
 |
|
|
|
| Browse questions and answers on topics that are hot right now. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
Surgery to the Lowest Bidder?
An Unsound Idea |
| By Pat Burke |
|
The Internet has profoundly changed the way consumers get information and buy and sell goods. Want to know the safety rating of a new sports utility vehicle? Point your cursor. Going to New York City? Book your flight online. Want the latest on a surgical procedure that you're considering? Open your eBody bookmark.
As a tool to get smarter, faster, the World Wide Web has no equal. Its shopping convenience can't be beat, either, for the consumer who wants, say, music, books or cosmetics without fighting traffic and long lines at the mall. E-commerce and Internet trading sites, such as eBay, are growing by leaps.
But despite all its value, the Internet does have its reasonable limits. You may be confident buying a book over the net, but would you be willing to undergo a surgical procedure by a surgeon who had the lowest bid? As strange as it sounds, you may be surprised to learn that there is an online auction site where some doctors actually bid to do the surgical procedure that someone wants. The idea is a gimmick at best, and unwise in the least.
The prudent person would not, it is safe to assume, choose a doctor using cost as the foremost deciding factor. Surgery is not child's play. Surgery-especially elective surgery-should be carefully researched, examined and considered. And the factors that go into deciding which surgeon is right for you is multi-layered and complex as well: the doctor's medical credentials; skill; ability to communicate; staff; location; and perhaps, cost. The eBody web site is designed to help you become a proactive patient/consumer. We can help you find a qualified doctor and examine that individual's credentials and experience. If you choose, you can contact doctors using the eBody.com physician locator to ask probing questions and get the answers you need before you make such an important decision.
On the eBody site, it is our goal to provide the most accurate, credible and up-to-date information about cosmetic procedures, treatments and products. We know that it is to your benefit to be able to learn more about a procedure in privacy and at a time that is convenient for you. Our Doctor Advisory Council, consisting of board-certified specialists and qualified doctors, reviews all medical information that we post.
The doctors that you can find using the Find A Specialist feature have been carefully screened and have sound credentials in their specialties of cosmetic dentistry, dermatology, refractive surgery, orthodontics, or plastic surgery. (At a bid-for-surgery site that we examined, the credentials of the physicians or dentists who respond in the auction are not verified.) With the information we provide, you are better able to make an informed decision about the surgery and the surgeon. It's far too important a decision to be left up to the lowest bidder at an auction.
Our advice: Let the Internet work for you as a superb informational tool and resource to help you become truly informed. Knowledge is power.
Getting Started
If you are considering a cosmetic medical procedure, consult a board-certified plastic surgeon about the process, risks, recovery time and costs. For confidential, personalized information at no cost or obligation, use the Find A Specialist tool to find a board-certified plastic surgeon near you. It's your first step to looking and feeling better today!
Share your thoughts and questions in the discussion Forums.
Related Articles
Myth Busting / Plastic Surgery
Is Everyone Doing It?
A Surgeon’s Guide to Considering Plastic Surgery
Will My Insurance Cover the Cost of Plastic
Surgery? (AUDIO)
What to Know About Surgery in Your Doctor's Office
Telling Friends and Family About Your Decision to Have a Cosmetic Procedure
Learn more about cosmetic plastic surgery now.
To search for information about other ways to enhance your appearance, visit the eBody home page now. |
|
|
