Did you know that just about any physician can call themselves a cosmetic surgeon? There are weekend courses offered all over the country which supposedly teach physicians how to do liposuction and breast augmentations. That is why it is more important than ever to know how to find and choose a properly trained plastic surgeon. Choosing a doctor who is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), as Dr. Murphy is, is the first step. Members of the ASPS must be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. They must also have had at least 6 years of surgical experience with 3 years specifically in plastic surgery and operate only in accredited medical facilities. Members must also adhere to a strict code of ethics and fulfill continuing education requirements including patient safety techniques.
In addition to being an ASPS member surgeon you need to find a surgeon that has hospital privileges to perform the procedure you want. Dr. Murphy not only has privileges to perform plastic surgery at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado, he is Chief of Plastic Surgery there as well. If the physician is performing procedures in a private surgical facility you want to be sure that the facility is accredited by an organization like The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). Dr. Murphy’s private surgical suite in Englewood is accredited by this organization and must pass inspections as well as reviews by his peers in the plastic surgery community.
You should know how long the plastic surgeon you are meeting with has been in practice and how many procedures they have done. Dr. Murphy has been in practice for 18 years now and performing procedures at his current location for the last 14 years. On average he performs around 40 cosmetic procedures a month.
If you have more questions about choosing a plastic surgeon or would like to know more questions you should ask a prospective plastic surgeon do not hesitate to call us at 303-788-8400.
