Should Doctors Performing Plastic Surgery Be More Regulated - Essay Example

Lecturer’s presentation: Introduction In the field of plastic surgery, medical professionals mainly deal with rectification re-establishment of the normal body functions. It has been in use since 2000 BC. The earliest plastic surgery was practiced in India and later spread to Europe and America. It is mainly meant for beauty purposes, though it may also be used for medical purposes. It is practiced in various ways depending on use. One of the uses is the healing of hereditary disorders of the craniofacial skeleton. This is a practice known as pediatric craniofacial surgery. It is also used to treat soft tissue disorders. Deformities caused by fractures are treated through plastic surgery referred to as adult craniofacial surgery. This type of surgery is also used to heal hereditary deformities of the head. It has been used significantly to treat extreme cases of congenital disorders, injuries especially on the hands that may be acute as well as the persistent ailments that attack the hands. Plastic surgery is important in the treatment of burns, especially for acute burns. When done after burns have healed, it is referred to as reconstructive surgery. It assists in repairing body parts that might have been damaged by burns, restoring the original state of the body (Buckle 2003). For aesthetic purposes, plastic surgery is usually designed to satisfy an individual’s desire. It is especially designed to alter the outward appearance for beautification purposes and elimination of certain undesirable physical appearances. This kind of plastic surgery is also referred to as cosmetic surgery. It is mainly used to remove excessive fats from the body, reshaping some body parts such as enlargement of the breasts or making them smaller. The exercise is usually risky as it can be detrimental to personal health if not carried out by an expert in plastic surgery. In the United States, doctors are legalized to perform plastic surgery, their specialty not withstanding. There should be more regulations for the doctors who perform plastic surgery Regulation of doctors Practicing Plastic Surgery Currently, there is an influx of the doctors who are practicing plastic surgery. This corresponds to the number people who are seeking their services. Medical doctors are currently working outside there area of specialization and training. This has been propelled by the rising demand of people to undergo plastic surgery in order for them to change their looks and do away with the undesirable physical characteristics. People are progressively seeking to look young and slim and therefore they are ready to fore go many other activities in order to gain the desired body shape. They are paying more money promptly for plastic surgery than for any other form of treatment. Plastic surgery has become a lucrative venture for many medical practitioners and most of them are engaging in the field even without licenses or the proper expertise in the field. In the process, malpractice has become rampant in the business and many people are falling victims of unqualified medical practitioners (Brenda 2008). The desire to satisfy their desires makes people to ignore the dangers associated with lack of the necessary skills and expertise in the medical practitioners. People tend to accept the services of doctors without seeking to acquire important information regarding their training and expertise in the field. It becomes detrimental especially when the driving force for the doctors is the gains that they acquire for the sale of their services rather than the satisfaction that their customers get from the services provided. Doctors do not necessarily have to pay insurance since their customers hardly enquire about it. Doctors offering medical services are turning their attention to this business thereby compromising their normal services to their patients. They feel that without offering plastic surgery, customers can not value the other services and therefore they tend to ensure that it appears in the list of the services offered. Many medical practitioners admit that the risks associated with plastic surgery are on the rise due to lack of regulations in the practice. People are not protected from the dangers posed by entry of unqualified people in plastic surgery. Due to the high demand in the competitive field, the untrained doctors are offering critical services that eventually interfere with the normal body functions of their customers. In most cases, they offer cheap services in order to capture as many customers as possible. Consequently, more and more people become endangered due to the availability of these poor services. The looks of many customers who have sought the services of these untrained people become even worse than the way they were in their natural state. Under normal circumstances, all medical practices are subjected to clinical tests and analysis in order to establish their effectiveness. However, for the fake doctors, the procedures are usually risky and substandard, without remedial measures once they give the wrong results. Most of these fake doctors receive short courses regarding plastic surgery, which usually do not give training on the steps that may be taken in case a certain procedure fails to give the desired results. For them, the procedures are irreversible and therefore if they damage the body, the customer has to bear with the permanent damage (Churchill Livingstone 2008). It is normally dangerous especially when it involves vital organs which are naturally delicate such as the eyes. It is of utmost importance for customers seeking plastic surgery to ensure that they confirm the eligibility of the surgeon before accepting the services. Credentials as well as certification by the existing medical practitioners’ boards are necessary. The customer is supposed to ensure that the medical practitioner is certified by the necessary bodies. This is the only way that an individual can avoid the risk of operation by an unqualified person. In order to cope with the competitive market, unqualified medical personnel join hands to form organizations and Boards through which they can market themselves. This is usually meant to win the confidence of consumers in order for them to seek their services. However, the most important factor for plastic surgery is the training and expertise in the field. While choosing the appropriate associations to choose for plastic surgery services, people should ensure that they confirm their registration with the appropriate government body that has the mandate of ensuring that the association fulfils the standards that have been set by the government for medical practitioners. In the United States, the American Board of Medical Specialties link is the governing Board that is mandated to ensure that only the qualified practitioners practice plastic surgery. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the one that is accredited for plastic surgery by the body. It disagrees with the non-plastic surgeons who claim to possess some training in the field of plastic surgery (Grace U. 1996). In California medical practitioners who have been practicing plastic surgery are facing the threat of limitation by the government due to the many deaths that have reportedly occurred as a result of objectionable plastic surgery processes. More over, there are many customers who have reportedly been disfigured by unqualified surgeons. There is wide spread cases of malpractice in plastic surgery that are mainly due to lack of proper regulation and standard medical care. The practitioners usually make profits since the processes solely depend on them and no other external regulators. Due to lack of barriers to entry, many doctors tend to leave other medical services to engage in the lucrative business. No insurance is needed and therefore it is usually a business that requires minimum amount of capital to venture in. it is generally accepted that a medical degree holder is eligible to perform plastic surgery. This has made many people without special training to venture in to the business of plastic surgery, thereby posing great risk to the customers (Lawless J. 2001). In Oklahoma there are no regulations safeguarding the public against non-physicians who perform delicate operations on the bodies of their customers such as the delicate operations of the eye that involve the risky procedures of inserting needles into the eyes as well as the use of scalpels. These can be lethal procedures that are supposed to be performed by an experienced practitioner. The safety of customers is usually at stake and there exists no regulations to protect them. Traditionally, there used to be regulations that protected patients from medical malpractice. Their safety was guaranteed in terms of the qualifications of the medical practitioners (Lunny V. 1997). However, in the recent past when many doctors ventured in to the field of plastic surgery, little attention is focused on their credentials or bringing back the once structured medicine. Technological advancement has brought about a great change in the in the medical profession .it has made it possible for doctors to perform plastic surgery within offices that have not been approved for medical practices. Even the untrained people can offer these services in such rooms as long as they have enough capital to purchase the appropriate equipment but without licenses. This endangers the health of customers since in most cases the personnel in such cases are not fully equipped to counter any eventualities that may arise in the process. Improper surgical processes are normally associated with many risks. If carried out in the wrong manner, they can cause many problems such as; nerve damage, excessive bleeding as well as other complications that are associated with improper eye surgery such as blindness. There can be problems whose effects may only be visible in the long run. Other problems may have mild impact on the individual. The time taken to heal may be extended; the patient may experience unusual allergic reactions, loss of hair as well as general displeasure with the outcome of the process. Research indicates that in many situations, trained doctors delegate their work to their untrained subordinate while they train other people. It therefore happens that doctors take advantage of the confidence that customers have in them. Without the knowledge of customers, the doctor gives instructions to untrained staff to perform surgery to customers. The issue of credentials is therefore not the only factor that determines the quality of services that are provided. It is the person who performs the operation who maters most. This has been identified as one of the most significant factors leading to malpractice in plastic surgery practices. Importance of Regulations There are many situations whereby people should be protected from medical malpractice by the government. While performing delicate operations on the human body, it is important for doctors to bear in mind that the life of a human being can not be equated to financial gains. Loss of body organs or malfunctioning of certain body parts due to improper surgical processes by health professionals should be controlled by the law in order to safeguard people against unscrupulous medical practitioners. Licenses are usually given to people who engage in economic ventures in order for authorities to ensure that they comply with the standards that have been set and which are fit for any dealings especially those that affect human life. Regulation of doctors performing plastic surgery should be intensified in order to protect people from doctors who may pose a threat to human life due to their unprofessional activities. If it remains unregulated, the medical profession may be abused by people who are out to maximize profits and earnings at the expense of the unsuspecting customers. More over, people may end up losing confidence in the medical profession thereby causing a downturn in the genuine medical business that is operated by qualified professionals. This is because it will be difficult to differentiate between the genuine surgeons and the fake ones. It is also important to regulate the doctors performing plastic surgery in order for the government to control negligence amongst the medical professionals involved in this field. With the necessary regulatory measures in place, health professionals will offer quality services to the people. The regulations will serve as a reference point for doctors as well as a guide in the practice of plastic surgery. Regulation is important in setting up parameters that health professionals can use to gauge their performance. The people will also be aware of what to expect in matters concerning plastic surgery. The major Cause of problems in plastic surgery is lack of knowledge amongst the people. Not many customers understand what they should expect from medical practitioners. If they have the knowledge, they can be in a capacity to question the medical professionals once they go against the regulations for example, a customer who has paid for eye surgery will be in a capacity to ask for credentials of a surgeon who is in charge of performing such a risky operation. Currently, customers remain at the mercy of the plastic surgeons since there is a common believe that those who do the work are qualified. Even though there is a qualified surgeon, customers do not question him for delegating his work to another person whom they are not sure of. Currently, there are no regulations that restrict doctors from performing any kind of plastic surgery. It generally seems as if any person who possesses a medical degree is a surgeon. However, it is important to formulate regulatory measures to prevent some of them from performing particular surgical processes depending on the associated dangers as well as the level of specialization. It is clear that many of those who engage in plastic surgery usually do it due to the market demand and the gains that come along with the practice. It is usually not because of their expertise in the area. In order to protect the people from surgeons who lack the necessary experience and skills, it is important to set standards that define the entry point in order for a doctor to engage in plastic surgery. Together with these standards will be licenses that clearly indicate the level of surgery that the doctor is suited. It is easy to give licenses to individuals rather than registering a whole business (Pengelly A. 1996). It is easy to attach personal details to a license which will help the customers to identify the person who is involved in the operation. This will also prevent professional doctors from delegating their surgical operations to unqualified staff. In that case, the customer will be in a position to question the qualification of another person far from the one who has been approved by the authorities. The regulations should also give provisions for the patients or customers to be adequately informed on the surgical processes and the risk involved. In many cases, patients may opt to remain the way they are instead of undergoing a rigorous and painful process which may be painful and risky. Understanding of the doctor’s expertise in the field is important in maintaining confidence in the patient. This can assist incases where the patient develops problems due to a surgical process. It will be easy to determine whether the doctor was qualified for the surgery. The regulations should state in a clear manner that is understandable to every one. The information should also be in such a way that the customer understands. This is important in order for them to make informed decisions. The regulations should also provide a considerable amount of time in order for the patient to understand the capability of the surgeon. There should be enough protection for the consumer against force information from the surgeon. This is because some fake doctors may use corrupt means and lies to convince the patient that they are capable of performing plastic surgery. The regulations are important in ensuring that customers are not misled through false information in advertisements. The false practitioners usually use all the means at their disposal in order to convince customers to take their services. There should be penalties for those who are found to have given the wrong information in order to deceive customers. The regulations should provide for regular checks whereby authorities can do regular inspections in plastic surgery establishments to ensure that they constantly possess the necessary equipment for plastic surgery. This will help in preventing the use of risky substandard equipment that may be lethal to human beings. In some cases, the proper equipment is only present at the time of applying for a license. Later on they are either returned to the owner. This promotes provision of poor services to the unsuspecting customers. Regulations are important in order to ensure that doctors do not perform plastic surgery on an individual for the sake of money. They can help to ensure that the doctors are responsible and that they assess the suitability of a particular operation and make the necessary recommendations. For those whom plastic surgery may result in undesirable situations, the doctors should be able to advise accordingly. They should also explain to the individuals on the consequences of performing such operations. There should be enough precautions and equipment that can be used to take care of any eventuality in the process of plastic surgery. Conclusion In conclusion, it is important for the doctors to be responsible for the lives of their patients. On the other hand, patients and customers should be careful while seeking the services of surgeons. They may be expecting beauty, only to be faced with undesirable situations, some of which may be lethal. Regulations should be intensified in order to protect patients from unscrupulous businessmen in the medical profession. The health of the people is important, and bearing in mind that many seek plastic surgery for aesthetic purposes, there is need for assurance that they will get what they desire. Bibliography 1. Buckle J. (2003). Plastic Surgery in Nursing. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone 2. Brenda M. (2008). Excessive Physical Complementary Therapies in the Medical Practice, Genamics Journal, volume 1. 3. Churchill L. (2008). Bodywork and Movement Therapies: Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, volume 4. 4. Grace U. (1996). Surgery for Practitioners. Saffron Walden: C.W. 5. Lawless J. (2001). Essential Procedures in Plastic Surgery. An Illustrated Guide. Hammersmith: Harper Collins 6. Lunny V. (1997). Aesthetics Explained. London: Salamander Books Ltd 7. Pengelly A. (1996). Lethal Practices in the Medical Profession. New South Wales: Sunflower Herbals. Read More