A patient usually has some choice as to which surgeon will perform the operation. The surgeon should be one that you trust, one that has been recommended by your primary care physician, and who has expertise in the surgery that you will have performed. Also, in order to receive the best insurance coverage possible, make sure the surgeon chosen is covered by your health plan. If you have any doubts about your surgeon, consider getting a second opinion, which many insurance plans will approve. Once you have chosen a surgeon, you need to ask where the surgery will be performed and whether you have a choice, if you are not comfortable with the surgeon's first choice.
Cost is another important consideration in making choices about surgery.
Find out if this is the least expensive alternative for treating your health problem. If it is not the least expensive, find out why this procedure is necessary. Costs for surgery often vary greatly among hospitals and geographic areas of the country. If you've taken the time and the responsibility to inform yourself by getting the information outlined in this recording, and if necessary, by doing research on your own to obtain other important information, you can feel confident that you are making the most appropriate choices possible regarding the surgical procedure recommended to you. A Consumer's Guide to Better Medical Decisions , by Gambone and Reiter, 1992.