Patient Advocacy in Plastic Surgery: An Underutilized Tool

Authors

Cody L. Mullens, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, West Virginia University School of MedicineFollow
Shelby L. Nathan, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Geoffrey M. Kozak, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
John P. Fischer, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Gregory A. Greco, Monmouth Medical Center
Cristiane M. Ueno, West Virginia University School of Medicine

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2019

College/Unit

School of Dentistry

Department/Program/Center

Surgery

Abstract

Summary: Healthcare advocacy is an important tool in the plastic surgeon’s arsenal that stands the potential to improve both patient care and the profession. However, many physicians underestimate the importance and influence that healthcare advocacy has on the profession and feel that they lack the leverage and knowledge to advocate on behalf of themselves, their practices, their patients, and their profession, all of which are untrue. Plastic surgeons are uniquely positioned to advocate based on their clinical acumen, personal experiences with patient care, and their position in the healthcare ecosystem value chain. This article aims to equip plastic surgeons with a general framework of knowledge regarding policy and advocacy. Additionally, the article outlines and discusses recent advocacy efforts related to plastic surgery, and efforts that are on the horizon to provide some context to the relevance of advocacy related to plastic surgery. Finally, we aim to empower plastic surgeons to step into the policy advocacy arena for the betterment of our patients and the professional practice of plastic surgery. (Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2019;7:e2207; doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000002207; Published online 3 May 2019.)

Digital Commons Citation

Mullens, Cody L.; Nathan, Shelby L.; Kozak, Geoffrey M.; Fischer, John P.; Greco, Gregory A.; and Ueno, Cristiane M., "Patient Advocacy in Plastic Surgery: An Underutilized Tool" (2019). Faculty & Staff Scholarship. 2112.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/faculty_publications/2112

Source Citation

Mullens, C. L., Nathan, S. L., Kozak, G. M., Fischer, J. P., Greco, G. A., & Ueno, C. M. (2019). Patient Advocacy in Plastic Surgery. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open, 7(5), e2207. https://doi.org/10.1097/gox.0000000000002207

Comments

Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.