Patient Review

1. The quality of the care was exceptional! Doctors, nurses and Patricia, the receptionist were excellent.

2. The facility was very professional and clean. A great first impression.

3. The process should be streamlined so a patient makes less trips. Having a handout would let the patient know the steps and the total cost. A. Consult with the surgeon by appointment $80 B. If the patient decides to go forward with the surgery, a down payment should be required. Within this payment will be the cost of the medical tests, hotel, nurse supervision and the elastic garment. Set an appointment for the patient to return to see the anesthesiologist and for the pre-op tests which includes: blood work, xray and an ekg. The patient is to fast for the blood work. The cost of the tests is $250 and are done in the clinic. I had to return several times and that was not efficient and a bit frustrating. If there is a concern, the anesthesiologist can schedule a follow up appointment to discuss the test results and how this will affect the surgery.

4. Patricia, the receptionist, did an excellent job booking the hotel and the drive. She also helped me get my medication at the pharmacy. She does a great job coordinating the process.

5. Staying overnight with a nurse in the hotel should be mandatory and the cost can be built into the overall cost or $70 for the room, $150 for the nurses who remain with the patient from the recovery room to the next morning when the patient goes home. They coordinated the iv drugs and took care of any questions. In future, it would be beneficial if they applied ice compresses throughout the night. Carla and Jesus are excellent nurses for both the post surgery night and the follow up care. They are conscientious, professional and give a patient the confidence that they are getting excellent care. The garment should be mandatory and built into the total cost of the surgery. The cotton batting and bandages are awkward to do and depending on the patient, it may not be done well. I could not get uniformity and they seemed to get in a mess. I bought my elastic garments on Amazon at about $10 each. That is the only option I would give patients. It is easy to put on and is comfortable.

6. In my opinion, if there is a language barrier it increases anxiety. There is an underlying fear of not understanding or being understood. Having staff who are fluent in English is very important. Jesus is fluent in English. Total cost: a. 80 consult with the surgeon b. 250 medical tests: blood work, ekg and xray c. Surgery and after care cost includes: Post surgery elastic garment Hotel, post surgery night Nursing care the first night at the hotel Surgery cost Drive to the border (should be complimentary so the client does not have the long walk or to have to stand in line) Medications: The medication should be pre-purchased and handed to the patient before they leave. Post op visit with the nurse 3 days later Post op stitch removal Post op appointment with the cosmetic surgeon.

These are my initial thoughts. Overall, I am very pleased so far. I have been speaking to my friends and they are excited to see the end results.