Plastic Surgery Marketing Techniques to Avoid
All types of advertising are used in the U.S. and some is best avoided. Dr. Body (Stuart Linder, M.D.) a board-certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, and aesthetic cosmetic facial surgeon Dr. Face (Robert Kotler M.D.) tell which to avoid and which to embrace.For, American plastic surgery can be like taking a walk down a pleasant country lane that is also used by cows and steers. Better watch where you step!
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Dr. Body (Dr. Linder): Driving to the office this morning, I could not help but notice a billboard showing a broadly smiling doctor in a white coat offering a breast augmentation for a low, low price.
Dr. Face: (Dr. Kotler): That type of advertising is common but the catch is almost always the same: the low price is only for one aspect of the surgery. By the time, you add on a fee for the operating room and the anesthesiologist – as well as other typical fees – the final price is not so low, after all.
Dr. Body: I personally don’t like it because shopping for price is not the wisest way to find a fully-trained surgeon, one who is board-certified to work on the area in which he has been certified. Today, some doctors are migrating to cosmetic plastic surgery specialties without completing a plastic surgery residency and becoming board certified. There are better ways to find qualified plastic surgeons besides reading billboards.
Dr. Face: I agree. There is nothing wrong with starting by searching for the superspecialist surgeons on the Internet. Don’t look for advertising that emphasizes low cost. After all, it’s your face or body. Unlike a car or refrigerator, you can’t return your face or body if you are not happy. It’s okay and quite proper to talk about discounts once you have met the surgeon, but the first consideration must be: “Is this the doctor to whom I am going to entrust my body or face – and my life?”
Dr. Body: The professional societies to which we belong don’t look kindly upon gimmicky advertisements, particularly with “small print” at the bottom which would tell ( if you could read it) that you get no anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist. Rather, maybe a couple of pain pills. Is that the way to have surgery in 2009? What if there is a problem with your heart? Who will be there to care for that?
Dr. Face: But wait — it can get worse! Some plastic surgeons have been so bold as to offer cosmetic plastic surgery as a prize or a reward for winning a contest. That’s another no-no because the winner may not really need or even want plastic surgery. Besides, the professional societies think a plastic surgery contest cheapens the specialty. Despite all that, you will see frequently see such contests, especially on radio stations. Forget it. You want a dignified, serious doctor, not a circus side-show barker.
Dr. Body: Truth is, a bargain surgery can easily turn into the most expensive thing you can imagine. Why? Because the repair on a botched job can cost anywhere from two to five times the price of a well done procedure. Remember, plastic surgery is still real surgery and there are a number of slight risks that go along with any surgery. You want it carefully done correctly the first time.
Dr. Face: So what is O.K. in cosmetic plastic surgery advertising and marketing? Start with patient testimonials on doctors’ websites. The patent experience directly relates to the skill and training of the surgeon who owns the website. Another good starting place are the before and after cosmetic plastic surgery photos. There should be many – dozens – of the procedure in which you are interested. Also, check out the doctors’ professional bios. Make sure the doctor “majors” in cosmetic plastic surgery. Not hand surgery, burns, cancer or emergency room work. You want the most highly trained, narrowly focused specialist available, the “superspecialist”.
Dr. Body: Rough rule of thumb: if you want breast augmentation, lift, reduction or revision, find a board certified plastic surgeon who does breast surgery at least twice a week.
Dr. Face: While choosing the surgeon via the lowest price is medically risky, finding a plastic surgeon who has the highest price is financially risky. A surgeon who focuses and concentrates on offering only several procedures will be able to do the procedure faster, with less fuss and at a more reasonable fee because he or she works extremely efficiency. He and his staff are tuned up like a top NBA team.
Dr. Body: Here’s another insider tip that is rarely revealed but tells a lot about a surgeon: Look on his or her website for the surgeon’s hospital privileges. Hospitals are expert at credentialing. They know which doctors have the right qualifications for staff membership. Crossovers from other specialties are not welcomed.
Besides, you never know when you might need to be hospitalized. The most caring doctors always have a back-up plan in place when needed.
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