Consultation to Recovery

Consultations

The consultation is an opportunity for us to get to know each other.

A new patient self-funding consultation with me costs $CI300. I do not charge for subsequent follow up consultations.

If you require a further unrelated procedure, this will be charged as a new consultation.

All insured consultations will be charged at the standard insurance fees.

During your consultation, I will conduct a comprehensive review of your medical history and perform an examination to understand your needs thoroughly. This will include identifying the purpose of your visit, reviewing your past medical records, and conducting a detailed physical assessment.

Following the consultation, I will correspond with you to address any questions or concerns you may have. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to meet with my nurse, and together, we will provide you with a tailored quotation for any self-funded surgical procedures, if applicable.

The primary objective of the consultation is to ensure you are fully informed about the nature of the surgery, its potential outcomes, and associated risks. To facilitate this process, it may be beneficial to jot down any questions you have beforehand to ensure they are addressed during our discussion. Bringing a friend or relative along can also be helpful in ensuring all aspects of the procedure are thoroughly discussed and understood.

A quote for the procedure will be provided to you. If you are certain that you wish to proceed with the surgery, then we will arrange a mutually agreed date for your procedure.

We encourage all patients to have at least a 2 week “cooling off period” – this gives you time to think about the surgery we discussed to ensure that it is the right decision for you. If you have any doubts regarding the procedure, you are very strongly advised not to commit until you are certain.

There is no pressure or persuasion at any stage because I want you to make a correct and informed decision your own time as there is no place for pressure sales in ethical surgery. Do take time to do as much research as possible.

Pre-Operative Assessment

Prior to surgery, I will let you know if you need to alter or stop any of your current medications. This may include aspirin, Warfarin or Tamoxifen. The anaesthetist will either phone or review you in clinic prior to surgery to ensure that all the necessary tests or investigations have been carried out ensuring the surgery runs as smoothly as possible.

Operation

I will perform your surgery and consultation follow-up appointments. For combined reconstruction cases, I will sometimes be assisted by Dr Tanja Ebanks or another trained Plastic Surgeon, who will be a Fellow or Member of the UK Royal College of Surgery. The anaesthetist will also go over all the associated risks and complications associated with anaesthesia.

You will be admitted on the day of your procedure and will be able to go home the same day or the next day.

On arrival, you will report to Reception and check in with the Admission’s Office. The nurses will then admit you and ask you a few necessary questions about your medical history, medications, allergies and establish if there are any current medical concerns.

I will review you on the ward with the anaesthetist before surgery. This is an opportunity to re-explain the surgery and answer any final questions or address any concerns you may have. I make any drawings necessary on you to plan surgery and with your consent, photographs are taken as a record for your notes. This is only for you and me unless you indicate that I can use it for teaching purposes.

A nurse will escort you to theatre where the anaesthetist will put you to sleep.

Following the completion of your procedure, you will be gently transitioned to your designated bed within the recovery ward, where our nursing staff will attend to your comfort until you are prepared to return to your room.

I will personally check in with you post-surgery, and once you are ready for discharge, we will assist you in arranging transportation as needed. Before departing, you will receive comprehensive post-operative instructions, details regarding follow-up appointments, and any necessary medications to support your recovery at home.

Aftercare

I believe that aftercare defines the service and is the key to successful treatment. We provide a comprehensive aftercare package to enable us to support you through every step of your recovery.

As part of our commitment to you, all your follow up appointments pertaining to your procedure are included in your initial quote. This means that you can be safe in the knowledge that you will have open access to come back to the clinic and see me at any time before or after your procedure. I understand that patients often have questions or concerns in the post-operative period and find it difficult to make it to a clinic or get an answer in a timely fashion. I therefore offer all patients my own email address to answer any simple questions as soon as I can. This allows you have timely access to me for reassurance and limits any personal distress.

In the event of an emergency, the hospital has 24-hour medical support available every day of year. This includes the full range of medical facilities, including operating theatres available at all hours. However, if more intensive support is required, then you may be admitted to HSA hospital (George Town).

I will review you regularly after your surgery and you can contact us at any time if you would like to be seen in clinic.