Ready…Set…Schedule a Consultation!

THE PROCESS

For those of you who have never had a cosmetic surgery consultation, let me calm your nerves and take you through the process from your first phone call to booking surgery.  The fact that you are reading this, means that you are on our website and have been doing some research already—this is good.  You probably have read about our two doctors, Frank Richards, M.D. and Dean Jabs, M.D., and the various procedures they perform.  If our practice offers the surgical procedure you are interested in, you have two choices at this point.

You can email us with questions and we will email back (or call back if you leave us a number) with answers, or you can call us directly on either our Maryland or Virginia phone number.

During this initial phone conversation we can go ahead and schedule a consultation appointment with one of our doctors, or we can answer questions you may have such as how soon you can book your consultation, surgical fees for the procedure(s) you are interested in, lead time to book surgery, recovery time needed, etc.  If you are ready to schedule an appointment, there are a few things you need to know.  Our doctors see patients in the Maryland and Virginia offices on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9 AM and 5 PM.  Our Maryland office is in Bethesda and our Virginia office is in McLean.

The consultation fee is $75 and is paid with a Visa or MasterCard over the phone at the time you schedule the appointment.  If you cancel without rescheduling or fail to show up for your appointment, you will forfeit the $75.  If you need to reschedule the appointment, you can with at least 24 hours notice.  If you book surgery the very same day or in the near future, the $75 will go toward your surgical fee.  We can usually get you in for a consultation within a couple of weeks.

The day of your consultation we ask that you arrive a few minutes early to begin filling out paperwork.  You will find our office décor quite pleasant and our staff polite and professional.  While we try to see you in a timely manner, please understand that some days are busier than others, and we are doing our best to not keep you waiting, both in the reception area and the exam room.

Once you are in the exam room, you may start to feel a little nervous.  Please try to relax.  I know you are thinking you are about to reveal what you do not like about your face and or body—maybe it is something you have never shared with anyone else.  Or, maybe you are extremely shy and reserved and the thought of disrobing in front of a complete stranger and showing him what you do not like about your body makes you want to run out of the room right now!  But, don’t.  Just breathe deeply, and know that this is just part of the process, it will be over before you know it and you will be just fine.  Both our doctors are consummate professionals and will put you at ease immediately.

You will meet the doctor before changing into a gown (if necessary) and he will listen to your concerns and wishes and determine what the best course of action will be.  If you are requesting bodywork, he will ask you to change into a gown and return in a few minutes when you are ready.  After mutually deciding on what procedure(s) will be best for you, the doctor will have the patient coordinator print out a quote that includes the surgeon’s fees and the operating room/anesthesia fees, and he will go over this with you.  He will also show you before and after photos of other patients who have had the procedures you are interested in, and answer any other questions you may have about the surgery process.

After your consultation with the doctor you will be introduced to your patient coordinator who will go over the quote in a more detail and answer any other questions you may have.  She will be happy to give you some possible surgery dates…remember the doctors are usually booked out several months, but we will try to accommodate you as best we can.  If you are not quite ready to book your surgery, your consultation is complete and we look forward to hearing from you when you are, or if you have any other questions.  If you would like to go ahead and book your surgery, we require $500 to hold your surgical date (Visa or MasterCard), which means you will pay $425 since you have already paid $75 for the consultation, which obviously goes toward your surgical fee.  You and the coordinator will decide on a date for surgery and a date for your preop appointment, which will be approximately two weeks prior to your surgery date.

Our surgeries are performed at either Suburban Outpatient Surgery Center or Suburban Hospital, both in Bethesda.  On the day of your preop appointment, you will meet with your coordinator to go over the complete surgical process, sign your consent forms, pay your surgeon’s balance (Visa, MasterCard or Cashiers Check) and be given your prescriptions.  You will also meet with your doctor to go over the surgical procedures again and have him answer any questions you may have.  Remember, you will be seeing the doctor on the day of your surgery before any anesthesia is given, so you will also have another opportunity to talk to him just prior to your surgery.

We have a very comprehensive surgical packet that you will take home after your preop appointment that addresses most issues/questions you may have concerning the surgery process.  I highly recommend reading it in its entirety…you will be a very well informed patient.

I hope this has answered some questions about the cosmetic surgery process and has put you at ease about going ahead and making the phone call.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.

M.C.
Practice Manager