Harvey “Chip” Cole, III, MD, FACS founder and owner of Oculus Plastic Surgery and Specialty Surgery Center provides information that will help prospective patients feel greater confidence in their search for the most qualified and experienced plastic surgeon.

ATLANTA, GA, August 23, 2019: Founder and Owner of Oculus Plastic Surgery and Specialty Surgery Center, Harvey “Chip” Cole, III, MD, FACS posted a new article on the Oculus website entitled, “When Selecting A Plastic Surgeon Understand Board-Certification And Accreditation.” Dr. Cole provides in-depth information meant to create the greatest sense of confidence in prospective patients considering cosmetic surgery.

Dr. Cole states, “When conducting your research for a plastic surgeon, the most valuable information you can have is a working knowledge of board-certification basics.” He further elaborates, “And, even if the doctor is board-certified you want to understand that as cosmetic surgery has become a more lucrative business, doctors from other specialties have begun to dip into the field. So you are likely to find general surgeons performing breast augmentation and dermatologists doing face lifts.”

According to Dr. Cole, “Not all board-certified plastic surgeons are experienced in the area in which they are board-certified. In other words, some board-certified surgeons may get some rudimentary cosmetic training – not a full fellowship – to get into the lucrative business of breast augmentation.” He clarifies, “So it follows that this surgeon will not have the expertise in breast reconstruction that a plastic surgeon with advanced fellowship training is likely to have. Nor will that surgeon have the equivalent experience. So, you’ll definitely want to look into your doctor’s board certification and other advanced training.”

“To be thorough in your research,” says Dr. Cole, adding “remember, it’s your face/body that is potentially being altered – you can check the AMA website to get some basic information about a doctor’s licensing and education and to see if they are a member of the AMA.”  “Clearly,” writes Dr. Cole, “if a doctor says he or she went to Harvard Medical School and you find from a web search of the AMA or other sites that he or she went to medical school in Guadalajara, you should run, not walk, away from that office.” He emphasizes, “The AMA requires that its doctors adhere to its Principles of Medical Ethics, another important safeguard in checking a doctor’s legitimacy. The key tenet of those principles is “responsibility to patients, first and foremost”.”

Dr. Cole talks about American Board of Plastic Surgery Certification before moving on to accreditation which he says, “is another safeguard that helps you ensure that the medical facility in which the doctor operates is part of a larger community and has been monitored and declared safe by a knowledgeable board.” He elaborates, “The accreditation should be from one of three well-recognized groups: The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) which is the gold standard used by every hospital; the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), and the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). To achieve accreditation, an office must meet stringent requirements for its staff and equipment, as well as its doctors, who must also have privileges at accredited hospitals.”

Read the entire article at https://www.drchipcole.com/when-selecting-a-plastic-surgeon-understand-board-certification-and-accreditation/

 

About Dr. Cole

Harvey “Chip” Cole, III, MD, FACS
Quadruple Board Certified

Harvey “Chip” Cole, III, MD, FACS is not just a surgeon, he is a nationally and internationally recognized, quadruple Board Certified Surgeon, specializing in Oculoplastic and Cosmetic surgery of the eyes and face – both reconstructive and rejuvenative. Dr. Cole’s dedication to standards of excellence in his profession is seen through his vast experiences within the fields of rejuvenation and reconstructive surgery. Known as “The Eye Guy”, Dr. Cole is an instructor on blepharoplasty, facelift and laser resurfacing, sharing his knowledge through national and international teaching lectures. In over 30 years in business, Dr. Cole has performed over 30,000 surgeries for patients ranging from infants to the elderly. Both, his surgical expertise and artistry continue to be nationally recognized.

 

About Oculus

Our state-of-the-art facilities combine the best medical technologies with unparalleled comfort. Our state-of-the-art Joint Commission accredited surgical suite is home to the majority of surgical procedures. World-class technologies, along with our pristine environment, create the security of a top-notch hospital while offering the comfort of a private office. Within our treatment rooms, advanced techniques and practices are utilized in order to increase the longevity of your results and diminish effects of aging.

 

 

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