Study Identifies Surgeon Experience, Personal Recommendation Top Factors in Patient Preferences

What do you look for when searching for the best plastic surgeon for your unique budget, preferences and chosen procedure? According to a study in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the most influential factors are surgeon experience and personal recommendations from doctors and/or friends.

There are many potential factors that go into choosing a plastic surgeon, and marketing professionals are always looking to improve their campaigns (especially in South Korea). However, research from the study identified the level of experience possessed by the cosmetic surgeon to be the single most important factor affecting the preferences of prospective patients.

“Using a market research technique called conjoint analysis, Dr. Marsidi and colleagues assessed factors affecting choice of surgeons in a group of 150 Dutch patients expressing an interest in cosmetic plastic surgery,” reported the ASPS. “Patients were presented with 18 different scenarios in order to rank their preferences in terms of cost, travel time, surgeon experience, clinic size, method of referral and online (website) presentation.”

Level of experience was rated with an importance of about 36 percent, with patient preference for surgeons with at least ten years of experience being preferred over those with less experience. The second most important factor in the decision was identified as method of referral, with an importance of 21.5 percent. Travel time was next, with an importance of 14 percent, and the cost of the procedure rounded out the remainder of the main decision factors with an importance of 13 percent.

Dr. Barr, resident surgeon at Palm Beach Plastic Surgery, has maintained a flawless track record for over two decades. If you are considering a plastic surgery procedure, such as liposuction, facelift, tummy tuck, breast augmentation or another procedure, contact us today by calling (561) 430-2229.

Tags: breast augmentation, Cosmetic Surgery, Facelift, Liposuction, Palm Beach Plastic Surgery, plastic surgery, Tummy Tuck