A recent story in the news out of Tucson, AZ tells of a woman named Ilda Mirim Garcia who was working with her boyfriend in providing illegal plastic surgery procedures without a license. Her methods have caused serious physical injury on those who sought treatment from her and Gustavo Felix Nunez who were performing these procedures together.
Stories like these emphasize the importance of seeking out an accredited liposuction clinic and an experienced, licensed surgeon for any cosmetic procedures no matter what. Cosmetic procedures of all kinds continue to be on the rise in popularity which also unfortunately means that many less than trustworthy clinics are popping up and offering these procedures at discounted rates. As many patients are tempted to seek out less expensive alternatives to a fully accredited practice, they end up paying for it in the long run with frequently botched results and threats to their overall health.
An accredited facility could include an outpatient surgical facility, a private office that is part of your surgeon’s main clinical offices, or a hospital. In choosing an accredited facility you ensure that you’re being taken care of by trained, qualified, and experienced staff. You guarantee a qualified and fully trained anesthetist or anesthesiologist to attend to you pre-surgery. An accredited facility also means that there will be plenty of personnel and the right equipment on hand to tend to any emergency situations should they arise.
For a facility to be fully accredited means it has adhered to the strictest standards for sanitation, patient care and equipment availability and handling procedures. After a facility has been fully accredited, it has to maintain that status through regular inspections while providing full records of procedures and policies to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.
Accreditation can be granted by one of four national accrediting councils in the U.S. which include: the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), The Joint Commission (TJC), the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF), or by Medicare. Any Board Certified surgeon is required to be affiliated with an accredited facility and must prove that their operating privileges are in good standing, that their affiliations with the licensed facility are in the same location where they practice and that the facilities are accredited by an organization approved by their state’s medical board.
If you’re considering a cosmetic procedure of any kind, entrust your health and the results of your procedure only to those who have been fully trained, who are experienced and who are fully accredited to do the job right. Contact Dr. Seiger at the Skin and Vein Center for more information!