Your First Visit

Your first visit at Sydney Institute of Plastic Surgery provides an opportunity to meet
Dr. Olbourne and his staff, to ask any questions you may have and to determine whether
or not plastic surgery is for you.

Before your first visit, you may want to think through your expectations about plastic surgery
so that you can discuss them openly with Dr. Olbourne. Cosmetic and reconstructive surgery
can improve your appearance and enhance your self-esteem, but it alone will not change
your life.

During your initial visit, the doctor will explain the specific procedure you want, help you
visualize the results and go over the risks. Although complications are rare, all surgeries,
especially those that involve anaesthesia, carry some risks. Dr. Olbourne will outline these
for you based on the specific procedure.

As in any medical practice, all information about your visit is kept confidential.



Financial information

Once your operation has been determined, Dr. Olbourne and his staff will be able to provide
a cost estimate for the surgery. This can indeed be a confusing area and the office staff will
readily offer you assistance to navigate the financial part of your surgery such as help with
paper work, hospital admissions, medical fund rebate and the like.

The standard fee charged in this office for reconstructive surgery is the Australian Medical Association recommended fee. This means that in most instances there will be a moiety of
your surgical fee which will not be covered by Medicare and your health fund. If there is any problem with this it is important that you ask about this gap. With respect to cosmetic surgery, some of the operations will receive a benefit from your insurer whilst others will not. We are
able to give you the appropriate advice on all these matters and give you some exact
estimates of what he final costs might be. Please be advised that when you have an operation,
not only is there a fee for your attending surgeon and his assistant, but also for the
anaesthetist and the hospital.

Our staff are fully informed with changes and rebates and will be able to help you navigate
you way through this area of your procedure.



Useful questions

QUESTIONS TO ASK COSMETIC SURGEON/STAFF

What are the doctor's qualifications? Is he a member of the Australian Society of Plastic    Surgeons?

How experienced is he or she in the type of surgery you want?

How often does the doctor perform that procedure and when was the last occasion?
   Physiologically, is this a suitable time for you to have cosmetic surgery or would you be
   better off waiting a few years?

What procedure are available to improve your problem? Which one would be best for
   you and why?

What results can you reasonably expect, given your physical features, and how long
   can you expect them to last?

How safe is the procedure and what complications could arise? Are these complications
   common or rare and are they likely to occur during or after surgery?

Where will the scars be located and do you have a choice? Will they improve with time
   and how long will that take?

Is the procedure painful? What is the extent of post-operative pain, bleeding, bruising
   and swelling? How long will these effects last?

What type of anaesthetic does the surgeon use and who administers it? Do you have a
   choice?

Will you need any other drugs and, if so, are there any side effects associated with
   their use?

How long will the procedure take?

Where will it be performed - hospital, the surgeon's own facility or a day-surgery centre?
   Do you have a choice?

Is the surgery or clinic equipped with life support and other emergency facilities should
   the need arise?

What immediate after-care is available at the surgery or clinic?

What kind of post-operative care will you need? Will you need someone to take you home?
   Will you need someone to look after you and, if so, for how long?

In the event that the surgeon is unavailable after the operation and you have a problem,
   who will take care of it?

When can you resume physical activity, sexual activity (particularly related to breast
   surgery), social activity, work?

How long (days, weeks, months) will the entire healing process take?

How much will the entire procedure cost - surgeon's fee, anaesthetist's fee, hospital or
   surgery costs, theatre fees, pharmaceutical's or other costs? Are follow-up visits included?

If additional treatment or surgery is necessary for post-operative complications
   (bleeding, infection, wound breakdown), who pays for it?

If additional surgery is necessary at a later date (eg., scar revision, secondary
   rhinoplasty, replacing ruptured implants), what extra costs are involved?

Is anything recoverable on Medicare? If you have private health insurance, what will it cover?

Hair: When can I dye my hair? (Latest possible date prior to surgery, soonest date
   following surgery?) How much hair will be cut away for the surgery?

When can I resume wearing contact lenses?

What brand of make-up is best for concealing bruising?

May I see pictures of your work?

Will you ask some of your patients if they would be willing to talk to me about their
   procedure and their satisfaction with you as a surgeon.



Practice newsletter

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