|
Need a surgery: Find out how old the surgeon is A new study published in the September Annals of Surgery raises questions about when older surgeons should quit the operating room and how they can stay at the top of their game in the final years of their careers. A new study, published in the September Annals of Surgery, found that for three complicated surgeries, including heart bypass, doctors older than 60 had higher patient death rates, especially if they didn't do very many of the surgeries. Previous studies found that older doctors are less likely to know about new treatments and medications than younger doctors. Previous studies also found that older surgeons tend to perform worse on recertification exams. Some doctors nearing retirement reduce their caseloads, but the study suggests that's not a good idea. Practice keeps skills high, so a reduced workload may not be the best idea. If you are scheduled to have a surgery ask how many procedures a surgeon does a year. You should also ask the surgeon about his/her experience with this procedure, his success rate, its outcome, and the hospital or setting in which the operation will be performed. Is the nursing staff accustomed to caring for patients who have had this procedure?
|
| ||||||
 |
Hot Topics: Domestic Violence: A pre-existing condition? Serena: The wanna be vegetarian Personal Story: How I recovered from my Eating Disorder Mama wants to help: Food Bank programs and shelter assistance Lucy Goes Green: Talk dirty to me What no one will tell you about tummy tuck surgery Mama's favorite item of the week: Trees for the Future
Win a Gift Bag filled with Goodies from Stonyfield
| ||||||
|
Information obtained from MamasHealth.com™ should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such. Always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about a specific condition.
Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms
of Use. ©2000 - 2009 MamasHealth, Inc.™. All rights reserved
| ||||||
|
| ||||||
