As the market grows, health professionals warn that price should not govern the choice of surgeons. I ll discuss my fees with patients, personally and privately, but my primary concern is getting the patient to feel better, says Dr. Royall, D.P.M., of Salt Lake City who specializes in medicine and surgery of the foot. Money is always going to come up, but I think it should take a back seat. They worry about marginalizing ethical issues like informed consent. Some sharply criticize any practice where the patient misses out on valuable information needed to make an informed decision.
Proponents claim the bidding offers enhanced choice, and therefore greater patient protection.
One of the strengths of our website will be the provision of information to the consumer, says Mike Sussman, chief operating officer of Medicine Online. We are going to give them more information than they get in the real world. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery issued a warning about the online surgery auction in December stating, It provides no way to verify credentials, competency, or patient satisfaction with the services offered, and is fraught with possibilities for abuse. Many factors are more important than cost, says Dr. Royall. Those are two very defined roles, and they have to be kept separate.