Article

EDUCATED PATIENTS ARE HAPPY PATIENTS
by Angela O'Mara

To quote a famous surgeon, "undergoing cosmetic surgery is not as simple as taking a walk in the park". That's why, for over ten years The Professional Image, Inc. has worked with physicians all across the country to help educate the consumer on the benefits of cosmetic surgery. It is our belief than an educated patient is a happy patient. The more you the patient understands about cosmetic surgery, the better decision you will make when determining what is the right choice and the right procedure for you.

Los Angeles is acknowledged as the world center for surgical innovations and the Los Angeles media thrives on cosmetic surgery news stories and features. At TPI, we regularly work with the local and national TV news stations, magazines, newspapers and professional journals to provide them with qualified resources for the many medical stories they are working on. We have become one of the primary resources for the media due to the depth of our knowledge and the up-to-date research we often provide. A day does not go by without one of the stations reporting on some form of cosmetic surgery procedure. Many programs are not structured for in-depth reporting. Often the story is of a two or three minute duration. In this instance, we are certain to provide the most current information so that they can report fairly and accurately in the short amount of time available. In other instances, particularly with the morning and national talk shows, an hour of time is designated and we are able to arrange for the producers to follow patients through surgery so that they can report on their entire surgical experience. This is perhaps the best form of consumer education because you are with the patient through all phases of surgery, (you might possibly even relate to some of his or her concerns) and can see how they look once the surgery has been performed. We continually work with almost every major media organization on both the West and East Coast to provide cosmetic surgery news to you.

Many physicians believe in direct consumer education and provide the most up-to-date information through their own internal and external office based programs. By offering comprehensive brochures, video tapes and educational seminars detailing the procedures available, the more progressive surgeons assist you with your decision making process by showing you all of the surgical options available. For many years, TPI has been an innovative partner in consumer education by helping doctors design their office materials and plan their educational seminars in an easy, jargon-free format, with as much truthful information about the adverse side of a procedure as well as its incredible benefits. Many people consider cosmetic surgery and cosmetic surgeons to all be the same thing. At TPI we believe that a cosmetic procedure is a very individual choice and choosing the right surgeon is based on individual likes and dislikes. That's why we listen, really listen to the particular message each physician we work with is trying to share with his patients. We need to understand his personality and his educational goal in order to develop the right materials, or to plan the most informative and well-thought out program to meet his goals. The patient ultimately benefits with answers to many of their questions, as well as the information necessary to determine whether he or she is the right surgeon for them.

Due to our experience with all phases of communication, and through years of hands-on experience listening to patient needs and understanding their concerns, we have been fortunate to work with many of the country's best surgeons. We pride ourselves on working with surgeons that are innovative in their approach, utilize the safest and most effective means to meet their patients' goals, adhere to the many safety issues concerning surgery, and above all, care about their patients. Care enough to make your surgical path one that is lined with good experiences and great results!

The above article is reprinted with permission of Cosmetic Surgery Magazine and appears in their launch issue.