Surgery is often a major, life-changing event Patients can be overwhelmed by the experience and sometimes do not ask their surgeon the best questions to understand the procedure and ensure a good outcome. Do you need surgery? Before surgery, you must know what is wrong with you and if there are other ways to treat your condition without surgery. You must know if your problem is common and if there is anything unusual about your condition. Is the hospital where you are having surgery and the surgeon who is operating on you right for you? Ask your surgeon about the training he or she received for your procedure. Where did they learn how to perform this surgery, and how intensive was their training? Physicians must be licensed to practice medicine in the state in which they practice. They do not need to be board certified or belong to a professional organization, but it is often better to have these certifications. Ask if the surgeon is board certified, and if not, ask why. Ask if the surgeon regularly deals with patients who have the same problem as you. As the primary surgeon (attending surgeon) how many times have they completed the same procedure as your proposed surgery? Who are the other physicians who provide care for you along with the surgeon? Based on your condition, it is often better to have a group of professionals providing care than just one physician. If special types of procedures or techniques are needed (such as lasers or surgical robots), ask why they are better than traditional methods for your problem. Ask the surgeon how much training he has and how much experience he has with conventional methods and the newer techniques being proposed. The surgeon may have learned the newer techniques in a very brief course – ask about this. Ask if the hospital has a special department and staff trained to provide care for your specific medical problem. How many patients with similar problems to yours have they already cared for? You should discuss options Discuss the method of anesthesia with your anesthesiologist prior to surgery. What can you do before surgery to make sure you will get the best possible outcome? Ask your surgeon what you should do before surgery to increase the likelihood of a good outcome. Should you exercise? Stop smoking? Go on a diet? Achieve better control of your diabetes? Do you want to stop any daily medications? Your doctor may need you to bathe with a special cleanser before surgery to minimize the risk of infection. He or she may also ask you to cleanse your intestines before surgery. What will happen after surgery? Ask your physician about how much pain you will experience and how best to manage it. Surgery usually comes with short-term activity limitations and/or dietary restrictions. The exact amount will vary depending on the type of surgery and your activity level. Ask your physician how long you will be unable to work and make sure he or she knows what type of work you are doing. Do you need help after surgery? Who can provide help? If you need help after surgery, do you have the resources to get that help? What complications may occur? How often do these complications usually occur, and what happens when they do? If you have problems after discharge, who should you call or ask for help? Will the surgeon be able to provide care throughout the day, night or weekend, if needed? If not, who will provide emergency care and how much experience do they have caring for patients like you?