5 Tips for Choosing a Hand Surgeon in Buffalo, NY

Hand surgery involves both surgical and nonsurgical procedures of conditions and problems, such an injury and infection, from the tip of the hand to the shoulder. Hand surgery can be practiced by medical graduates of general, orthopedic, and plastic surgery.

If you live within the vicinity of Buffalo, NY, and you happen to need a hand surgeon, do consider getting the service of Dr. Paul Paterson.

Here are six important tips to remember when getting a hand surgeon in Buffalo.

1. Ask for referrals

Start your search for a hand surgeon by asking for referrals from people you know. You’ll usually get good options as most people will only recommend those that they’ve had good experience with. Here’s what you can do:

• Ask your primary physician or family doctor to provide you with a referral list. This will serve as your guide.
• You can also ask for recommendations from family, friends, relatives, and workmates.
• To help you narrow your list, call each hand surgeon’s clinic and ask for an appointment to meet and interview the surgeon

2. Study the hand surgeon’s credentials and experiences

A hand surgeon specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of issues of the structures of the hands, wrists, forearm, and elbows. Getting the right hand surgeon will help ensure that whatever complex hand problems and distorted functions will be addressed and resolved. The more years of experience that your doctor has, the better the surgical outcome. To know about a hand surgeon’s credentials and experience, do the following:

• Preferably choose a hand surgeon that has a subspecialty and fellowship training in hand surgery.
• Use available resources such as a hospital’s website, clinic information, doctor’s website, and the likes to find out the surgeon’s credentials such as his or her medical background, certificates earned, pieces of training attended, cases addressed, and experience with hand-related surgeries.
• Check whether the hand surgeon has a history of malpractice issues or disciplinary actions.
• If you’re advised to get a specific medical procedure, ask for the success rate of the procedure and its possible complications.
• Extract information from patient feedback or surveys to know how many patients have been treated with the same specific condition as yours.

3. Consider the gender of the hand surgeon

Some people are gender sensitive when it comes to dealing with medical professionals that will help them with their medical conditions. So, assess yourself if the gender of the surgeon would matter to you. You need to be comfortable with your hand surgeon as you will need to open out about your physical condition. You’ll also be giving out personal information to the doctor for them to make a proper diagnosis and analyze the best procedure applicable in your case.

Take note also that some doctors, clinics, and hospitals may have specialized treatment facilities and services that provide gender-specific healthcare, so take this into consideration as well.

4. Check the hospital quality, location, and satisfaction surveys

The hospital where your hand surgeon practices residency is the hospital you’re going to stay in for the surgery. For that matter, you must consider the quality of care being given at the hospital itself or the ambulatory surgical center where the hand surgeon treats his or her patients. Hospital quality makes a big difference to you because top-rated hospitals provide fewer complications, better survival rates, and faster recovery to their patients.

Consider also the location of the hospital so that it will be convenient for you to travel to and from the hospital and for your loved ones to visit you. If your case needs frequent follow-up checkups and rehabilitation treatments, then an accessible hospital is an advantage for you.

5. Verify what your insurance covers and where to find other aides for your treatment

Utilizing your health insurance is a very convenient and practical matter. To fully enjoy your health insurance, ask the help of your health insurance representatives to help locate their accredited hand surgeons and hospitals. Ask all related fees to be fully aware of the costs. Still consider the credentials, experiences, outcomes, and hospital quality as you select your choice of hand surgeon for your treatment as your primary consideration should be your health and well-being and not saving money.

You may also reach to social services or NGOs who can help patients with medical conditions like you to help decrease your expenses.

Conclusion

Having a medical condition, especially one that requires surgery, is a serious matter and can cause immense stress. Added to that stress is choosing the hand surgeon who can help you solve your problem. Follow the tips above so you can find the right hand surgeon and receive the best treatment you deserve.