Looking for a Qualified Surgeon?

For many things in our lives if we have to make an important decision, we have certain criteria that must me met.  If you need surgery, you most certainly need to have criteria in mind when selecting a qualified surgeon for your particular type of surgery.  How do you go about finding a qualified surgeon? If you or someone you know is considering elective surgery, you should be aware that there are some ways to objectively evaluate your surgeon. The American College of Surgeons—the largest international organization of surgeons in the world—recommends that you look for the following criteria: 1) board certification 2) hospital or ambulatory center accreditation and 3) Fellowship in the American College of Surgeons.

If you want to read more detailed information about board certification, hospital or ambulatory center accreditation, and fellowship information, here is the link to the American College of Surgeons web page:  http://www.facs.org/public_info/yourhealth/findadoc.html
 
They also have A Guide to Surgical Specialists that lists all the surgical specialties along with descriptions.  If you want to check to see if a surgeon is a member of the American College of Surgeons, check out the ACS Member Search page.  If you want to see if your surgeon is board certified, the American Board of Medical Specialties has a Is Your Doctor Certified? database.  You have to register to search the database but it is free and only takes a minute.