Legitimate Plastic Surgeons Fight for Their Name

This month, the monthly newsletter for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons published on their front page, an important article describing the problem I have been decrying for some time; a problem that seems to be getting worse, and is damaging the reputation of all of plastic surgery, and the safety and happiness of every prospective or real patient.

I speak of the problem of physicians without legitimate, ACGME accredited training in Plastic Surgery calling themselves plastic surgeons, or otherwise marketing themselves in such a deceptive manner as to allow an otherwise reasonable person to believe they were plastic surgeons.

The reason the article was written was because a patient in  Los Angeles recently died during a tummy tuck and liposuction procedure. The California Board of Medicine is likely to take his license. The headlines read, "Plastic Surgeon could lose license..."

Only the doctor was NOT a plastic surgeon. He had been offering plastic surgery procedures, and indeed marketed himself in a way that only an experienced and savvy physician would be able to tell that he was not a legitimately trained plastic surgeon, but in fact, he was an Ob/Gyn.

Close examination of the circumstances very quickly shows that this doctor had a very poor understanding of safe and appropriate care in these procedures, and it is clear that the death could have been prevented had the patient been in the hands of a surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery.

The most shocking part of the story, however, is how little interest there was in the media in making a written correction and bringing the fact that the doctor was not a plastic surgeon to the public's attention. And this is part of why these deaths and injuries continue to mount.

The good news is that many state governments are now pursuing legislature mandating that all healthcare providers be honest and forthcoming in describing and marketing their educations and training to patients.
We'll have to keep a close eye on this....

Think this couldn't happen to you? Here in Central Florida, Dr. Roger Bassin calls his practice "Bassin Plastic Surgery" and his advertisements make it seem as though he is not only a plastic surgeon, but an innovative one in a position of leadership in the field. His training? Ophthalmology. He's an eye doctor.

Be careful out there.