When you’re planning a plastic surgery procedure, such as breast implant surgery, you want to receive the very best care, while keeping medical costs reasonable at the same time. To make sure plastic surgery is performed safely, without the inflated costs that may come along with a hospital operating room, many surgeons use outpatient surgical facilities.
As a patient, you likely did a ton of research before you committed to working with your breast implant surgeon of choice to determine that he/she is eminently qualified to perform the procedure. This same level of research should be done for the facility you choose to have your procedure in as well.
In this blog, we’ll discuss exactly what things to look out for when researching different surgical facilities in the Westchester, NY area. It’s important to pay attention to whether the medical facility meets the same high standards that other medical settings, such as hospital operating rooms, do.
When beginning the research process, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC.org) can be a big help. Their mission is to assist outpatient ambulatory surgical facilities “to provide the highest achievable level of care” for their patients, which means that they have a ton of useful information about surgical facilities that may end up being incredibly helpful during your research process.
Verify Accreditation with the AAAHC
This organization applies tough standards to all of its accredited surgery centers throughout the US. By checking your surgeon’s preferred surgery center for this accreditation, you can feel confident the facility is monitored for safety. The surgery center that we use, Vanguard Surgical Center, is duly accredited by the AAAHC. At Cohen/Winters, however, we go even further than the accreditation process to ensure quality care for our breast implant patients here in the Westchester NY and northern NJ area.
About Vanguard Surgical Center
Doctor-Owned Surgical Facility Dedicated to Superior Patient Care
The surgeons of Cohen/Winters Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery are known for providing the highest level of care for our patients, so we needed a superior surgical facility with the latest equipment, nearby our offices here in Bergen County, NJ.
We wanted the facility to be just as good as, or even better than, the operating room at Hackensack University Medical Center and/or any other accredited hospital in the tri-state area. We wanted a high-tech surgery center that was ideal for ambulatory procedures of all types, including breast implants.
In our estimation, it wasn’t enough to have the latest equipment and facilities. We also wanted to make sure we always worked with the best anesthesiologists in the industry, along with the best nursing and professional medical support staff. It turns out, there was really only one way to find a surgical facility this perfect—we had to create it ourselves.
Vanguard Surgical Center is adjacent to our offices here in Maywood, NJ, (about 40 mins. from Westchester, NY) and owned by a partnership of top surgeons in a variety of specialties. These are elite surgeons and doctors in the fields of anesthesiology, plastic surgery, reconstructive surgery, maxillofacial surgery, OB/Gyn, vascular surgery and more.
These surgeons naturally attract the most sought after medical staff to work in the facility. Together, we provide each of our patients with a quality of care not found anywhere else.
Finding Out about Your Surgery Center
In your consultation with your plastic surgeon about breast implants, be sure to learn about the location where your surgery will take place. (Occasionally Westchester breast implant surgery is performed in a hospital OR, if it is deemed necessary for a hospital stay to follow. This may occur with breast reconstruction procedures or other cases.) When your surgery is to take place in an independent ambulatory surgical center:
- Be sure to ask about the credentials of the anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist who will work with your surgeon during your procedure. (All full time members of the anesthesia dept. at Vanguard Surgical Center are Ivy League educated and board certified MDs.)
- Ask about the infection rate at the surgical center for your procedure. (At Vanguard, our infection rate is exceedingly low in comparison with local norms. Since each procedure varies, you should discuss the infection rate and complication rate of your specific surgery with your surgeon.)
- Ask for a tour of the surgical facility, whether it is an actual surgical center or just a surgical suite in your surgeon’s offices.
- For the most convenience, check to see if the surgery center is located near your surgeon’s office. (Vanguard Surgical Center is right here in our building in northern NJ.)
- Check for current ambulatory surgery center accreditation on the AAAHC website.
- Check for licensure with the NJ DOH (Department of Health).
If you are considering breast implants in the Westchester NY area, and would like more information about your options, contact Cohen/Winters for a consultation. (We’re located in nearby Bergen County, NJ.)
Surgery is a calling for us and we are here to help patients improve their lives. As part of our commitment to patient care, we prioritize the latest surgical equipment and monitoring systems, superior operating room safety, top-level personnel and elite surgical credentials at our Vanguard Surgical Center. Contact us today.
