How to Verify a Plastic Surgeon in Florida

Start with the surgeon's exact legal name. The Florida Department of Health's Medical Quality Assurance service lets the public check a health professional's license status and disciplinary history. Open the individual record and confirm that the name and profession match the surgeon you are researching.

A medical license and board certification are different credentials. Check both independently, and repeat the search close to the date when you are making a decision because public records can change.

Do not stop at the phrase “board certified.” Ask for the full name of the certifying board, then verify the surgeon in that board's primary-source directory. The American Board of Plastic Surgery provides a public certification search and explains that certification is a voluntary credential separate from state licensure.

Search the surgeon's legal name and review the displayed certification status yourself. A directory result is one important check, not a promise about an individual outcome.

Ask for the exact name and address of the proposed hospital, ambulatory surgery center, or office surgery setting. Then ask which state license, Medicare certification, or nationally recognized accreditation applies and verify it with the organization that issued it.

Also ask who provides anesthesia, whether the surgeon has relevant hospital privileges, what emergency-transfer plan applies, and who is responsible for postoperative contact. The answers should be specific to your procedure and location.

A large social following or review count does not replace procedure-specific evidence. Review multiple relevant before-and-after cases, confirm who performed them, compare like views, and ask when each after photo was taken.

Use reviews to notice repeated themes and questions, not as a guarantee. Confirm important claims in official records or directly with the practice, and keep copies of the information you relied on.

• Who will perform each part of my procedure?
• How often do you perform this procedure, and may I see relevant cases?
• Where will surgery take place, and how can I verify that setting?
• What alternatives, risks, and limitations apply to me?
• How are emergencies and complications handled?
• What written recovery, travel, and follow-up plan will I receive?
• Who can I contact after surgery, including outside normal office hours?
• What is included in the quoted cost, and what could create an additional charge?

Use the same checklist for every surgeon you consider, including Dr. Miami. No license lookup, certification, review, gallery, or recommendation list can identify one universally best surgeon for every patient and procedure.

The consultation should give you enough specific information to understand the proposed plan and decide whether to continue. You are not obligated to schedule because you completed a consultation, received a quote, or found a surgeon on a recommendation list.