How important is it for the Dr. who is doing your surgery to be board certified?

Question

I have chosen a Dr. to do my tubal ligation reversal surgery already, but I just found out he is not board certified. I talked to his receptionist who said since he is an older Dr. it was not that important to get certified when he first got started, and he has not had time with all of his patients to get certified. He does all of his surgeries in the huge Jewish Hospital in Louisville. Surely they would not let him practice there if he was no good. Should I find another Dr.??

Answer 1

Your doctor, regardless of his age, should understand the importance of proper credentialing for something as important as surgery. The kind of surgery you are about to have is a highly specialized type of surgery and should be performed by someone who has been observed and certified competent. Your doctor may be very competent and experienced....but it seems rather arrogant not to make the effort to become certified. It gives the patient assurance of at least a basic level of education and experience. Without board certification, you just have to rely on your doctors word that he knows what he is doing. I encourage my patients to look for proper credentials, just because a person has received medical education and license, doesn't give them the ability to do specialized things like tubal surgery.

Answer 2

Very important. I am surprised that he is allowed surgery privileges at a hospital if he isn't board certified. I'd call the local College of Physicians and Surgeons to see if there have been any substantiated complaints against him.

Personally, I'd find a doctor who IS board certified.

Answer 3

A doctor who would tell his staff to brush off questions about his qualifications by saying he is "too busy" to become certified in his specialty is not a good doctor. Period. Certification is one way to provide patients with a modicum of evidence that he has demonstrated the skills you need him to have . Even IF he is qualified, and you have only his receptionist's word on this, he is at least either arrogant, lazy or both. Whatever his reasons are they are not good enough. There's no down side to finding a surgeon who is certified is his specialty.

Answer 4

I think you should talk to another doctor (who is board certified) and see how comfortable you feel around him. If you think you are more comfortable with the non-certified one, then go for it. I have had an operation done by a non-certified doctor. Good luck on your surgery!

Answer 5

Any doctor can do surgery. Most don't unless they have passed the certification which begins with several years residency if inexperienced. I would check with the resources you have available about doctors and see if he has any record of problems. The hospital and the state licensing board may offer public records of law suits and complaints or there may be a group that monitors doctors in the area.

Answer 6

Being board certified isn't always a guarantee of quality. It just means that if they HAVE screwed up in the past, there is a record of it which is more easily accessed. I would say that experience and track record would be a better way to judge.

Answer 7

Board certification means he's been SCHOOLED in the surgeries he's doing and has kept up with ALL the new techniques.
If your surgeon is NOT board certified, I'd find one that was. ( his age is NOT his problem and he could have been certified all this time and didn't bother..I'd tell his receptionist that she needs to go back to school too.)

Answer 8

Being board certified is when a doctor meets
a board of older Doc's.they ask a lot of medical
questions.and take his money.ands give him a
nice certificate.IT DON'T mean that he's a better
Doctor than others.Doctors can work in any
hospital,if they have medical school papers.
You don't have a thing to worry about.DOCTOR ES pick hospitals where the
patient is going to get the best care.

Answer 9

VERY important.

I would never get my surgery with someone who was not board certified.

Answer 10

Well, how important is it to you for your medicine to be FDA approved?

I grew up in the ville, Jewish or University would be your best bet, however I might ask around, either find out his track record or see if theres another Dr from the same office.


Good luck!!