How to Check on the Record of Your Lap Band Surgeon

Want to have lap band surgery but don’t know if you have picked the right surgeon? You can start by checking your surgeon’s record and credentials. Viewing a good record helps you have more confidence in your surgeon. Here is how to check on your surgeon’s record.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Confirm that your doctor is board certified. Check the official portal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) (see Resources below). You may even visit your local library to get the list of board certified doctors.
2. Remember that board certification requires the surgeon to go through a rigorous curriculum. Every surgeon has to perform at least 100 obesity operations and must act as a primary surgeon in at least 51 percent of those surgeries.
3. Visit the Web site of the American Medical Association (AMA) to get the biographical information on your surgeon (see Resources). The AMA provides this information for any 4 doctors for $60.
4. Go online and search the Internet for your surgeon’s name. If you know some of his previous patients, try to contact them, visit their personal blogs or Web sites and learn about their experience.
5. Ask your doctor about his earlier cases. Ask for contact information for those patients and get in touch with them. Talk to them and check their satisfaction level. Also ask them about the pre- and post-surgery services provided by the surgeon.
6. Visit the blogs and Web sites of various people who have had cosmetic surgery. Learn about the methods that they used to check their surgeon’s records.