Doctor Credentials

I am doubting my excitement about my new doctor who offered me the Da Vinci method as a viable option. How do you research your doctor's skillset to make sure he is the "best"? He was referred to me by a friend, but she used him to deliver her baby.

It is completely appropriate to ask your doctor about his experience and credentials. There is a very helpful list of questions to ask your doctor on this site under the "Hysterectomy Options" section. Having a hysterectomy is a big deal so it is vital that you are comfortable with your doctor. Also, from what I have read it sounds like the Da Vinci method is the most preferred method amongst the ladies here. Good luck!

I had DvH and did great with it... but like all surgeries there will be many outcomes afterwards from great to bad...
QuackWatch has a lot of info on it to help you research your doc.
As for me I asked a lot of questions of the Doc and asked many other Doctors about her too. I felt good about her answers and the way she treated me. respectfully and caring.. Plus she had tons of knowledge.
It is OK to ask your Doc about their education. If the Doc gets put out with it then they may not be right for you...

You should be able to type your doctor's name into Google and be able to find a page with his/her entire profile on there...i.e. Are they board certified? Do they have any sanctions against them? Do they have malpractice cases against them.

I did this with my doctor and was very relieved to find out he was exactly who he said he was and had the qualifications needed to do my surgery and do it well.

to you.

I checked mine out online after being referred by my regular GYN who doesn't do da Vinci but thought I'd be a good candidate.

I also had planned to interview him the first time he saw me but he gave me his credentials unsolicited after my exam. The doc I used has been focusing on da Vinci hysters for three years and was able to give me a number of procedures he'd done and various complication rates/outcomes.

He was also highly recommended by my GYN because he specializes in da Vincis.

I would call up your surgeon's office and use the Hyster Sisters booklet or pre-op checklist questions to find out how many da Vinci's he's done, what are his complication rates.

Also find out what type of follow-up and recovery restrictions to expect and what kind of pain meds you would likely be given.

If he says you'll be fine in two weeks to do whatever you want and only gives out ibuprofen, I would look for a new doc. While two weeks may be ideal, from my own personal experience and from reading many posts here at HS, it is not typical. And while many people don't need narcotics for long, some do and or need them for at least a little while.

My regular GYN suggested da Vinci would be a quick recovery for me, but my surgeon who did the procedure never suggested that. He wouldn't even let me drive for two weeks, let alone do anything strenuous. Nothing in vagina for 8 weeks. And he told me to use the Hyster Sisters info as a guide to what activities I was allowed to do.

Good luck with your decisions.