Referral Services: Free Advice!

PROMISES

A referral service finds the right cosmetic surgeon for your specific needs. Allowing a third party to research, screen and recommend a surgeon; assumes the referral service is impartial and has expertise in the field of cosmetic surgery. This service is usually provided at no charge to the potential patient. Prospective patients are obtained through various media:

• TV Infomercials
• Internet "Informational" sites
• Newspaper or magazine advertisements and infomercials
   

PITFALLS

• Most professional organizations (for example, American Society of Plastic Surgeons) provide referrals from their memberships on a rotation basis, which is random and eliminates any bias. In general, the benefit to the prospective patient is primarily the assurance that the surgeon recommended has the proper credentials. This is a reasonable approach in finding a surgeon, but the confusion arises in determining which professional organization represents cosmetic surgeons (see Promises and Pitfalls: Credentials).
• All other referral services are commercial ventures in which the surgeon pays for patient referrals. There are various financial arrangements between such services and surgeons but purchasing leads (patients) are the ultimate goal.
• In order to justify the cost of the referral service, a practice must generate a high volume of surgical patients. A high-volume practice usually means consultations with minimal physician involvement. In many such practices, the major part of the consultation and "education" is provided by an assistant. This may lead to hard-sell techniques and less critical patient selection. In other words, patients who may not be suitable candidates for a procedure (based on their emotional or medical problems) may be scheduled regardless of their underling problem.
• Beware of "bait and switch sales techniques" in which the advertised fee turns out to be for the "plain vanilla" operation but the procedure the patient needs (or wants) is more expensive.
• Beware of "add on" procedures. The patient may be seeking a breast augmentation, but ends up with liposuction and a tummy tuck because they are suggested.
• Although the surgeon obtained from a referral service may be a well-trained and qualified plastic surgeon, it is prudent to exercise caution. When finding a surgeon through a referral service, it becomes important to seek one or several additional consultations from surgeon(s) certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Examples of actual referral service solicitations to our practice: