The decision to undergo orthopedic surgery is a difficult but important one, and finding the top-rated orthopedic surgeons to perform that surgery is critical. Knowing that you have an experienced surgeon with a history of successful procedures can ease some stress that comes with getting surgery. What should you look for in an orthopedic surgeon, though? Is it enough to follow your primary care physician’s recommendation?

Get Referrals

The primary care physician’s recommendation is important, but it doesn’t have to be the deciding factor. You might consider talking to friends and family, especially if you know someone who had the same surgery. For example, if your brother had a knee replacement, ask him for a referral. You can also talk to other healthcare professionals and get recommendations. You might even contact your insurance provider to get a list of in-network orthopedic surgeons.

Research the Orthopedic Surgeon’s Credentials

Before you make your choice, do some research. Go to online resources to look at the surgeon’s credentials, such as:

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
• American Medical Association
• BoneSmart.org
• Healthgrades.com

Many states have websites that allow you to check a doctor’s credentials, as well. Consider looking at highly regarded outpatient treatment centers to see who works there. Most of the region’s top surgeons work at Prime Surgical Suites.

Consider the Orthopedic Surgeon’s Experience

Ask the surgeon how many procedures they have performed and how many they do in a year. A surgeon that only does two knee replacements a year may not be as well-versed in the current recommendations as one that does 20 a year. Ask about their success rate, too. How many of those surgeries were successful?

Be prepared to ask questions as if you are interviewing someone for a job. Some question you might want to ask include:

• How many patients with this injury or disease have you treated in your career?
• How many procedures have you performed?
• How many this year?
• What is your success rate?
• Do you have a specialty?

Having this information will give you confidence in the surgeon.

Evaluate Communication Style

It’s important to feel comfortable with the surgeon. Does the doctor spend enough time with you discussing the procedure? Did you understand your options and the potential outcomes? Did the staff take time to answer your questions?

What about outside the office? How can you contact them if you have more questions? How easy is it to get an appointment? What is the office environment like? Is it clean and welcoming?

Read Patient Reviews

Go online and read how other patients review this surgeon. What is their experience? Patient reviews can tell you a lot about the surgeon, the office, and the procedure. You can get a sense of how well the doctor communicates with patients and whether they were satisfied with the service.

Before you make your final choice, look at the surgical center. The top-rated orthopedic surgeons are at Prime for a reason. The Prime Surgical Suites is a state-of-the-art facility built for outpatient orthopedic surgery. Since it is not a hospital, patients are in and out quickly. Prime is also COVID-19 safe.

At Prime Surgical Suites, we provide state-of-the-art, cost-effective musculoskeletal surgical care in a convenient and comfortable outpatient setting for patients of all ages. Located in RiverCrest Medical Park, we are the region's first outpatient center focused exclusively on orthopedics. Our physician-led center will help restore your active lifestyle and well-being with compassion and orthopedic excellence.