Opting for a hip or knee replacement is a big step towards getting back to your normal active lifestyle. Since you want the outcome to be right, it is very important for you to find the best orthopedic surgeon to treat you. If you have not found one yet, then the below are tips to choose your orthopedic surgeon. The right professional will certainly prove to be of great help.

Top Tips To Choose Your Orthopedic Surgeon

1. Get referrals

If your primary care doctor has not suggested to you a surgeon, you can ask for a referral list. You can also take recommendations from your friends, family, or even a colleague who might have undergone a knee replacement surgery. However, you just cannot entrust the task to the first surgeon you have been recommended; it is important to research, plan appointments, and interview before you say yes.

2. Evaluate the surgeon’s credentials

Board certification is very important when you are selecting your orthopedic surgeon. Certification shows that the doctor has the required skills, training, and experience to offer orthopedic care. Also, find out if the doctor has any history of disciplinary actions or malpractice claims. Do not forget to check the surgeon’s certifications, training hospital, medical school, disciplinary and malpractice history.

3. Learn about the surgeon’s experience

As far as a specialized surgical or medical care for complex orthopedic problems is concerned, the more experience your doctor has, the better will be the results. Find out how many patients with your kind of problems has the surgeon already treated, and if the patients were happy with the outcome.

4. Research the quality of the hospital

The hospital where your doctor practices will also be your hospital. This is why it is important for you to find out the quality of care given at the hospital. Hospital quality is very important because top-rated hospitals mean better survival rates and fewer complications. If the hospital is located near your place, it will prove to be even more beneficial considering the frequent follow-up visits you will have to make after the surgery.

5. Go through patient satisfaction surveys

If you read what other patients have got to say about the doctor, you will get a better understanding of what you can expect. Patient satisfaction surveys ask people about how their experience was concerning scheduling appointments, office environment, wait times, and office friendliness. You can get to know how friendly the doctor was of the patients, did she/he spend enough time with them, and if all their questions were properly answered.

Following the above-given tips to choose your orthopedic surgeon will certainly make things a lot easier for you. As soon as you find the right surgeon, fix an appointment, have your surgery done, and bounce back to your normal, comfortable lifestyle.