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Best General Surgeons in Santa Clara

Written by Andrew Le, MD

Updated December 24, 2024

Introduction to General Surgery in Santa Clara

Overview of General Surgery

General surgery is a medical specialty that focuses on abdominal contents including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts, as well as the thyroid gland.

Common procedures include appendectomies, hernia repairs, gallbladder removals, and various types of minimally invasive surgeries.

Importance of Choosing the Right General Surgeon

Selecting an experienced and skilled general surgeon can significantly influence the success of the procedure, recovery time, and overall patient experience.

Key factors to consider include the surgeon's educational background, board certifications, experience, patient ratings, and communication style.

General Surgery Landscape in Santa Clara

Santa Clara boasts a diverse group of highly qualified general surgeons, many of whom have received training from prestigious institutions such as Stanford University and UCLA.

Top-rated surgeons in Santa Clara consistently receive high patient ratings, with many achieving perfect 5-star ratings. They often possess board certifications from the American Board of Surgery and offer specialized skills in areas such as cardiothoracic and vascular surgery.


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List of General Surgeons in Santa Clara

SB

Dr. Sharon Bogerty

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 971-4994

Stanford University (Medical School, 1973)

English

Cardiothoracic Surgery

General Surgery

DP

Dr. Danielle Pickham

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 972-3000

American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery

American Board of Surgery

State University of New York at Buffalo (Medical School, 2006)

English

General Surgery

Colorectal Surgery

VG

Dr. Viktor Gabriel

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(530) 332-7335

American Board of Surgery

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (Medical School, 2013)

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

ET

Dr. Elaina Tsui

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

American Board of Surgery

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

MW

Dr. Mary Wolfe

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(559) 459-4090

American Board of Surgery

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY / HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER (Medical School, 2001)

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

DR

Dr. Daniel Riskin

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

American Board of Preventive Medicine

American Board of Surgery

Boston University (Medical School, 1999)

English

Critical Care Surgery

Hospice & Palliative Medicine

General Surgery

Clinical Informatics

EP

Dr. Erin Palm

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

American Board of Surgery

Stanford University (Medical School, 2010)

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

SB

Dr. Scott Benninghoven

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 848-3799

American Board of Surgery

University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine (Medical School, 1984)

English

General Surgery

AG

Dr. Adella Garland

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English, Spanish

Phone

(888) 334-1000

American Board of Surgery

University of California at Berkeley (Medical School, 1990)

English

Spanish

General Surgery

LS

Dr. Louis Salamone

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 885-6067

American Board of Surgery

English

General Surgery

NB

Dr. Nancy Bitar-Godfrey

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (Medical School, 1983)

English

General Surgery

MK

Dr. Maihgan Kavanagh

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-2000

American Board of Surgery

John Wayne Canc Inst (Fellowship Hospital, 2006)

OHSU (Residency Hospital, 2004)

NCI/NIH (Fellowship Hospital, 2002)

University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine (Medical School, 1997)

English

General Surgery

JL

Dr. Jong-Ping Lu

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-2000

American Board of Surgery

University of California at San Francisco (Medical School, 2004)

English

General Surgery

AC

Dr. Annette Chavez

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

Stanford University (Medical School, 1984)

English

General Surgery

MT

Dr. Maureen Tedesco

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

American Board of Surgery

English

General Surgery

KY

Dr. Kyong Yi

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English, Korean

Phone

(408) 993-8568

Loyola University Medical Center (Residency Hospital)

Ny Med College (Residency Hospital)

Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (Medical School, 1993)

English

Korean

General Surgery

JH

Dr. Jemmy Hwang

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

American Board of Surgery

NEW YORK Medical College (Medical School, 1996)

English

General Surgery

JS

Dr. John Sherck

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 885-6060

yale University (Medical School, 1973)

English

General Surgery

PC

Dr. Peter Cahill

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 885-6560

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (Medical School, 1983)

English

General Surgery

PB

Dr. Peter Bui

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Vietnamese

Phone

(408) 851-2000

English

Vietnamese

General Surgery

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

AK

Dr. Amid Keshavarzi

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Persian

Phone

(408) 851-1000

American Board of Surgery

English

Persian

General Surgery

Dr. Mark Mandel

Dr. Mark Mandel

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(510) 886-3937

American Board of Ophthalmology

University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine (Fellowship Hospital)

Pacific Presbyterian (Residency Hospital)

Oxford University Medical School (Medical School)

University of California Los Angeles (Undergraduate School)

English

Ophthalmology

General Surgery

MS

Dr. Michael Sgroi

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(650) 723-4000

American Board of Surgery

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE (Medical School, 2010)

English

General Surgery

Vascular Surgery

MG

Dr. Manuel Garcia-Toca

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Spanish

Phone

(408) 885-2120

ANAHUAC UNIVERSITY / SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (Medical School, 2000)

English

Spanish

General Surgery

Vascular Surgery

NS

Dr. Nayan Sivamurthy

5.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

American Board of Surgery

BELLEVUE HOSPITAL CENTER / MEDICAL COLLEGE (Medical School, 1997)

English

General Surgery

Vascular Surgery

EB

Dr. Elliott Brill

4.8

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

American Board of Surgery

Thomas Jefferson University (Medical School, 2004)

English

General Surgery

Dr. Patrick Gartland

Dr. Patrick Gartland

4.7

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 275-8500

American Board of Surgery

University of Maryland School of Medicine (Medical School)

University Ill/Cook Co Hospital (Residency Hospital, 1983)

English

General Surgery

Dr. Bradley Hill

Dr. Bradley Hill

4.6

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 770-4455

American Board of Surgery

Stanford University Medical Center (Fellowship Hospital, 1998)

University of Kentucky (Residency Hospital, 1997)

English

Vascular Surgery

General Surgery

Dr. Kari Jerge

Dr. Kari Jerge

4.4

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English, Spanish

Phone

(408) 885-6070

American Board of Surgery

Saint Louis University Hospital (Fellowship Hospital, 2010)

University of North Carolina Hospital (Residency Hospital, 2009)

University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (Medical School, 2006)

University of Notre Dame (Undergraduate School, 2002)

English

Spanish

General Surgery

Critical Care Medicine

Trauma Surgery

Acute Care Surgery

JG

Dr. Julie Glasson

4.3

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(404) 785-6895

American Board of Surgery

HARVARD UNIVERSITY / SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY (Medical School, 1992)

English

Critical Care Surgery

Pediatric Surgery

General Surgery

BP

Dr. Bharat Pancholy

4.2

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-2000

American Board of Surgery

American Board of Thoracic Surgery

Medical College of Wisconsin (Medical School, 2006)

English

General Surgery

Cardiothoracic Surgery

Dr. Matthew Tranduc

Dr. Matthew Tranduc

4.2

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Vietnamese

Phone

(408) 871-3400

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (Medical School, 1999)

English

Vietnamese

General Surgery

KL

Dr. Kristelle Lusby

4.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(650) 969-5600

American Board of Surgery

American Board of Plastic Surgery

Eastern Virginia Medical School (Medical School)

English

General Surgery

Cosmetic, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. Hootan Roozrokh

Dr. Hootan Roozrokh

4.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 688-2149

American Board of Surgery

Medical College of Wisconsin (Medical School, 1998)

English

General Surgery

HW

Dr. Hugh Walsh

4.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 297-5775

American Board of Surgery

Stanford University Medical Center (Fellowship Hospital, 1973)

University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine (Medical School, 1968)

English

General Surgery

GC

Dr. Gary Collins

4.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(910) 323-2626

American Board of Surgery

Hennepin Co Medical Center (Residency Hospital)

English

General Surgery

CC

Dr. Cassandra Chow

4.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 885-5000

English

General Surgery

JL

Dr. Jin Lee

4.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Korean

Phone

(408) 280-5655

SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (Medical School, 1971)

English

Korean

General Surgery

AM

Dr. Alexander Moskovitz

3.9

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

American Board of Surgery

American Board of Thoracic Surgery

University of California at San Diego (Medical School, 1996)

English

General Surgery

Cardiothoracic Surgery

CC

Dr. Carla Carvalho

3.7

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

American Board of Surgery

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

TY

Dr. Tzuoo-Ming Yeh

3.2

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Chinese, Mandarin, Mandarin, Minnan

Phone

(408) 296-3288

SOUTHWEST COLLEGE OF NATUROPATHIC MEDICINEHEALTH SCIENCES (Medical School, 1976)

English

Chinese

Mandarin

Mandarin

Minnan

General Surgery

ES

Dr. Ehab Sorial

3.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Arabic

Phone

(408) 793-2530

American Board of Surgery

International Medical and Technological University School of Medicine (Vignan) (Medical School, 1994)

English

Arabic

General Surgery

Vascular Surgery

GA

Dr. Gregg Adams

2.5

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 885-6060

American Board of Surgery

OREGON HEALTHSCIENCE UNIVERSITY / SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY (Medical School, 1988)

English

General Surgery

JC

Dr. Justin Choi

2.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

American Board of Surgery

ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE (Medical School, 1991)

English

General Surgery

TS

Dr. Thomas Shapiro

1.0

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 278-3000

American Board of Surgery

Harvard Beth Israel Hospital (Fellowship Hospital, 1970)

Ucsf Hospital (Internship Hospital, 1967)

Ucsf Medical Center (Internship Hospital, 1967)

University of Illinois College of Medicine (Medical School, 1966)

English

General Surgery

JS

Dr. John Swanson

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(412) 647-2345

American Board of Thoracic Surgery

Wake Forest School of Medicine (Medical School, 2013)

English

General Surgery

Cardiothoracic Surgery

LS

Dr. Lowell Su

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-3862

American Board of Surgery

American Board of Thoracic Surgery

English

General Surgery

Cardiothoracic Surgery

MN

Dr. Michael Nathanson

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Cantonese

Phone

(408) 885-5000

American Board of Surgery

American Board of Thoracic Surgery

Saint Thomas Hospital (Fellowship Hospital, 1984)

Los Angeles Co Medical Center (Residency Hospital, 1973)

St Vincent Medical Center (Fellowship Hospital, 1971)

Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center (Residency Hospital, 1970)

Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center (Internship Hospital, 1966)

Hebrew U-Hadassah Med, Jerusalem (Medical School, 1964)

English

Cantonese

General Surgery

Cardiothoracic Surgery

JH

Dr. Jocelyn Ho

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

American Board of Surgery

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Medical School, 1999)

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

RJ

Dr. Ronald Jou

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

American Board of Surgery

University of California at San Francisco (Medical School, 2005)

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

AK

Dr. Arathi Kumar

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

American Board of Surgery

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

TM

Dr. Tobias Muniz

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

American Board of Surgery

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

LR

Dr. Lindsay Reilly

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

CL

Dr. Cathleen Ligman

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

American Board of Surgery

Augusta University Medical College of Georgia (Medical School, 2000)

English

Critical Care Surgery

General Surgery

FK

Dr. Faraz Khan

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(650) 723-6439

Aga Khan Medical College (Medical School)

English

Critical Care Surgery

Pediatric Surgery

General Surgery

MG

Dr. Michael Gertner

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(888) 334-1000

Cornell University (Medical School, 1999)

English

General Surgery

RK

Dr. Richard Kline

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 770-2297

American Board of Surgery

Stanford University (Medical School, 1989)

English

General Surgery

SM

Dr. Sean Meshkin

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

English

General Surgery

SM

Dr. Shay Mansoor

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-2382

American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery

English

General Surgery

OD

Dr. Omar Dawood

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 431-0051

Georgetown University School of Dentistry (Medical School, 2002)

English

General Surgery

JS

Dr. John Siegel

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Spanish

Phone

(408) 885-5000

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (Medical School, 1981)

English

Spanish

General Surgery

AC

Dr. Angela Chen

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 885-5000

American Board of Surgery

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA / HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER (Medical School, 2001)

English

General Surgery

MG

Dr. Melanie Gainsbury

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-2000

American Board of Surgery

English

General Surgery

HT

Dr. Henry Trueblood

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 885-5000

American Board of Surgery

Stanford University (Medical School, 1964)

English

General Surgery

VM

Dr. Victor McCray

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(888) 334-1000

University of Illinois College of Medicine (Medical School, 2005)

English

General Surgery

JK

Dr. Judith Keddington

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

Indiana University School of Medicine (Medical School, 1987)

English

General Surgery

YR

Dr. Young Rhee

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Korean

Phone

(408) 248-0157

SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (Medical School, 1966)

English

Korean

General Surgery

ND

Dr. Ninad Dabadghav

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

American Board of Surgery

Rush University (Medical School, 1985)

English

General Surgery

LT

Dr. Louis Tieu

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English, Arabic

UCSF Affil Hosp-UCSF (Residency Hospital)

Uc Riverside (Undergraduate School)

University of Ca (Medical School, 2001)

English

Arabic

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

General Surgery

TC

Dr. Tiffany Chao

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 885-6070

American Board of Surgery

City University of New York School of Medicine (Medical School, 2009)

English

General Surgery

AA

Dr. Aamna Ali

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 376-3626

English

General Surgery

JG

Dr. Jahanara Graf

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 793-2545

American Board of Surgery

HOWARD UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES / MUSIC DEPARTMENT (Medical School, 2011)

English

General Surgery

LK

Dr. Lucy Kim

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-1000

American Board of Surgery

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (Medical School, 1996)

English

General Surgery

MJ

Dr. Maris Jones

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Female

Languages

English

Phone

(408) 851-2000

American Board of Surgery

University of Illinois College of Medicine (Medical School, 2009)

English

Surgical Oncology

General Surgery

WB

Dr. William Bohannan

N/A

Santa Clara, CA

Sex

Male

Languages

English

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI / KANSAS CITY CAMPUS (Medical School, 1996)

English

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

General Surgery

The Doctor Selection Process in Santa Clara

Resources for Finding General Surgeons

Online Platforms

  • Healthgrades: Comprehensive database of surgeon profiles
  • Patient reviews and ratings available for many surgeons
  • Detailed information on education, certifications, and specialties

Local Medical Associations

  • Santa Clara County Medical Association
  • California Medical Association physician finder

Hospital Affiliations

  • Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
  • El Camino Hospital
  • Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center

Evaluating Surgeon Qualifications

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Surgery certification common among top-rated surgeons
  • Additional certifications in subspecialties (e.g., Cardiothoracic Surgery)

Educational Background

  • Prestigious institutions represented (e.g., Stanford, UCLA, UCSF)
  • Ongoing education and fellowships

Experience and Specializations

  • Years in practice
  • Focus areas within general surgery (e.g., critical care, pediatric)

Understanding Patient Feedback

Star Ratings

  • Many top surgeons have 5.0 star ratings
  • Consider the number of reviews (e.g., 8 reviews vs. 3 reviews)

Written Reviews

  • Look for specific comments on surgical outcomes
  • Patient experiences with communication and care

Balanced Perspective

  • Consider both quantitative ratings and qualitative feedback
  • Be aware of potential biases in online reviews

Top-Ranked General Surgeons in Santa Clara

Dr. Scott Benninghoven

Qualifications and Experience

  • Education: University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine (1984)
  • Board Certification: American Board of Surgery
  • Years of Experience: 39+

Patient Satisfaction

  • Star Rating: 5.0 out of 5
  • Number of Reviews: 4
  • Perfect score indicates high patient satisfaction

Contact Information

  • Phone: (408) 848-3799
  • Healthgrades Profile: Available for more details

Dr. Maihgan Kavanagh

Qualifications and Experience

  • Education: University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine (1997)
  • Board Certification: American Board of Surgery
  • Additional Training: Fellowships at John Wayne Cancer Institute and NCI/NIH

Patient Satisfaction

  • Star Rating: 5.0 out of 5
  • Number of Reviews: 8
  • Consistently high patient ratings

Contact Information

  • Phone: (408) 851-2000
  • Healthgrades Profile: Available for detailed information

Dr. Amid Keshavarzi

Qualifications and Experience

  • Board Certification: American Board of Surgery
  • Languages: English, Persian
  • Demonstrates cultural competence

Patient Satisfaction

  • Star Rating: 5.0 out of 5
  • Number of Reviews: 8
  • High patient satisfaction across multiple reviews

Contact Information

  • Phone: (408) 851-1000
  • Healthgrades Profile: Available for more information

Dr. Nancy Bitar-Godfrey

Qualifications and Experience

  • Education: University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (1983)
  • 40+ years of experience in the field

Patient Satisfaction

  • Star Rating: 5.0 out of 5
  • Number of Reviews: 4
  • Perfect score indicating patient trust

Contact Information

  • Phone: (408) 851-1000
  • Healthgrades Profile: Available for additional details

Dr. Jong-Ping Lu

Qualifications and Experience

  • Education: University of California at San Francisco (2004)
  • Board Certification: American Board of Surgery
  • Nearly 20 years of surgical experience

Patient Satisfaction

  • Star Rating: 5.0 out of 5
  • Number of Reviews: 3
  • Consistent positive feedback from patients

Contact Information

  • Phone: (408) 851-2000
  • Healthgrades Profile: Available for more information

Additional Resources for Finding the Right General Surgeon in Santa Clara

Consultation Process

Preparing questions for potential surgeons

  • Create a list of specific questions about your condition and proposed treatment
  • Inquire about the surgeon's experience with your particular procedure
  • Ask about potential risks and complications

Discussing surgical options and expected outcomes

  • Request detailed explanations of all available treatment options
  • Discuss expected recovery time and post-operative care
  • Inquire about success rates for your specific procedure

Insurance Considerations

Verifying network coverage

  • Contact your insurance provider to confirm in-network surgeons
  • Check if the hospital or surgical center is also in-network
  • Understand any referral requirements from your primary care physician

Understanding out-of-pocket costs

  • Request a detailed estimate of all associated costs
  • Discuss payment plans or financial assistance options if needed
  • Clarify which services might not be covered by insurance

Hospital Affiliations

Researching hospital quality and safety ratings

  • Review hospital ratings on reputable healthcare quality websites
  • Check for any recent safety violations or concerns
  • Consider the hospital's experience and reputation for your specific procedure

Considering location and accessibility

  • Evaluate the distance from your home or work
  • Check for parking availability and public transportation options
  • Consider the convenience for follow-up appointments and post-operative care

Seeking Second Opinions

When to seek additional medical advice

  • For complex or high-risk procedures
  • If you're unsure about the recommended treatment plan
  • When you want to explore all possible options

How to approach getting a second opinion

  • Inform your current surgeon of your intention to seek a second opinion
  • Request your medical records to share with the second surgeon
  • Consider consulting a surgeon with a different specialty or approach