Your Initial Consultation

The initial Cosmetic Consultation is an important step in the process of considering plastic surgery.

We are committed to helping you become well informed about the actual process of preparing for and recovering from cosmetic surgery.

Please feel free to ask questions and let us know how we can help you.

Registration

When you initially check in at the reception desk with Cathy, she’ll ask you to provide basic information for our administrative records. She’ll also ask you to complete a medical history form which gives Dr. Fedele the information he needs to be sure that you are a good candidate for elective cosmetic surgery. Then one of our staff will direct you to the video education room. All of our office forms are available online to help speed up the process for you. Simply print them out and fill in the information prior to your appointment and hand them to Cathy at the time of your consultation.

History Review

Diann has over 24 years experience in caring for Plastic Surgery Patients.

The next step is to meet with Diann our Plastic Surgery Assistant. She will go over your medical history and fill in any details that are needed. She will ask about any medications that you may be taking and inquire about your smoking history. You will need to completely stop smoking and not be taking any nicotine products at least 3-4 weeks prior to any procedure. Diann is very familiar with all the procedures that Dr. Fedele performs, as well as what will transpire before, during and after the procedure, and will be an excellent source of information for you. Diann is available for your questions at any time.

Patient Education

You will be taken into our comfortable and private patient education room where you will view an informational video about the procedure(s) you are contemplating. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) prepares these education materials and they reinforce what Dr. Fedele will discuss with you.

Feel free to take notes on important points brought up in the video to discuss with Dr. Fedele. We also offer brochures prepared by ASPS that you may read and take home with you.

As you read them at home, write down any questions or concerns you encounter and ask Dr. Fedele about them at your next visit. Our goal is to help you gather the information you need to make an informed decision about cosmetic plastic surgery.

Surgeon Consult

Dr. Fedele will spend time with you to explain the procedures in detail, using illustrations, so that you have a full understanding and all your questions have been answered.

Next you will meet with Dr. Fedele, a well-trained and experienced Plastic Surgeon, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). You and Dr. Fedele will spend time talking about what procedures you are interested in having done. He will examine you and give you his opinion about how to best achieve your goals. If you forget to ask him something, Dr. Fedele encourages you to write down any questions and he will answer them at your next visit. You can also call Diann or E-mail your questions to her or Dr. Fedele. Dr. Fedele and his staff will work with you to be sure that you have the best possible surgical result and a wonderful surgical experience.

Digital Computer Imaging

Dr. Fedele uses the latest digital technology with computer imaging software to let you look at the possibilities available, and to aid in the surgical planning process. While imaging is not appropriate for all procedures, it can be very useful to help you understand the options for some procedures, such as nose reshaping. Dr. Fedele will let you know whether imaging is appropriate for the surgery you are considering.

In this way, you can view simulated before and after digital images and get an idea of what the result could look like on you.

Skin Care

Good skin care is essential to help keep your face looking youthful. Dr. Fedele can help get you started on a good skin care routine that can diminish fine lines, decrease pigmentation, and give you a smoother complexion. Daily skin care routine is important, as well as our pre-laser surgery protocol to allow your skin to be in the optimum condition for the procedure. Dr. Fedele can discuss all aspects of skin care with you during your consultation.

Cost And Timing

The next step is to meet with Sandy, our Practice Manager and surgery scheduler. She will discuss with you the surgical fees, and can provide information about the various financing plans available. If you have a specific date in mind, she will do her best to accommodate your schedule. If you are still in the information-gathering phase, she will try to be sure all of your questions are answered.

Follow Up

Your initial consultation fee includes any additional visits if you have further questions for Dr. Fedele. Dr. Fedele insists on meeting with every patient at least twice prior to surgery. This way he can develop a better understanding of your wishes and you can communicate any concerns that you may have. Dr. Fedele wants you to be comfortable and confident with him as your surgeon.

Board Certification

Dr. Fedele is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and had excellent training at one of the top accredited Plastic Surgery Training Centers in the country, namely, The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. When consulting with a Plastic Surgeon you need to be sure that the surgeon you choose has been properly trained and certified by the right Board. Dr. Fedele feels that it is imperative that the public understands who is a qualified Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon. Simply stating that one is “board certified” is not enough. There are many different “boards” that physicians claim to be certified by, but this does not mean they are qualified. In the United States, physicians are generally licensed as “medical practitioners” by state licensing boards. Federal laws do not govern the quality of specialty training or dictate the procedures a physician may aspire to perform. For example: any physician who finishes medical school, either M.D. or D.O., and obtains an Ohio state medical license can legally practice medicine or surgery. This means anyone with an Ohio state license can claim they are a cosmetic surgeon and can do cosmetic procedures with or without the appropriate residency training and certification. There is an easy way for the public to check on their individual doctor’s credentials to ensure the doctor has the appropriate training and qualifications and is certified by a recognized board in their specialty.

Plastic Surgeons who are certified by the ABPS and who are members of the ASPS have undergone rigorous training and have been evaluated by their peers on their practice of plastic surgery, from both the technical and ethical perspectives.

The first step is to verify their training occurred at an approved residency training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME, www.acgme.org) in the specialty they are practicing (i.e. Plastic Surgery). This ensures the training program meets the requirements for training physicians in this specialty and has the highest level of standards. Next the surgeon must be certified by the American board of their particular specialty. You can find this out by checking with the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS, www.abms.org) to verify that their board is the legitimate board for that specialty. The intent of the certification of physicians is to provide assurance to the public that a physician certified by a Member Board of the ABMS has successfully completed an approved educational program and an evaluation process which includes an examination designed to assess the knowledge, skills, and experience required to provide quality patient care in that specialty. For Plastic Surgery, only the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS, www.abplsurg.org) is recognized by the ABMS to certify a properly trained surgeon for the entire spectrum of plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. The mission of The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc. is to promote safe, ethical, efficacious plastic surgery to the public by maintaining high standards for the education, examination and certification of plastic surgeons as specialists and sub specialists. In addition, the plastic surgeon should be a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS, www.plasticsurgery.org), the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world. This verifies your plastic surgeon has the highest level of training and certification to practice plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.

While choosing a plastic surgeon is a personal decision, Dr. Fedele feels the general public needs to be aware that a variety of levels of competence exist in the realm of Plastic Surgery in the greater Cleveland area. With these established organizations as resources an individual can readily check if their surgeon of choice has the highest level of qualifications.

Dr. Fedele feels this information is important to disseminate to anyone considering consulting with a Plastic Surgeon. Please feel free to ask Dr. Fedele if you have any questions regarding this important information.