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Author Topic: do US surgeons refuse to see patients with complications of other US doctors?  (Read 606 times)

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osteotummy

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I am quite close to Rozbruch and can kind of afford to do LL with him. but whats worrying is if there are complications I dont think I can get follow treatment with him at HSS because its crazy expensive. I can spend once for the first surgery and keep another 50.000 for complications but I think at HSS it can easily cost another 125.000 to correct any complications.

so if I am left with no choice in the event of a complication to go to some other surgeon in the country like Paley or Mahboubian or Debiparshad or Assayag. but will they refuse to see me? I have heard that sometimes they send you back to the original surgeon. But what if I cant afford the original surgeon again?!?
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Michael J. Assayag, MD

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i see patients with complications from others surgeons all the time.

I’m sure it’s a 2 way street and some of my patients end up in their care sometimes.

Cut the middleman and come straight to me ;) I was trained by Rozbruch AND by the people who trained him :p
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Dr. Michael J Assayag MD FRCSC
Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Surgeon
http://www.heightrx.com https://www.limblength.org/conditions/short-stature
massayag@lifebridgehealth.org
IG @bonelengthening

osteotummy

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i see patients with complications from others surgeons all the time.

I’m sure it’s a 2 way street and some of my patients end up in their care sometimes.

Cut the middleman and come straight to me ;) I was trained by Rozbruch AND by the people who trained him :p

yeah I would love to go to you, doc. but with precise, flying and traveling is very hard even if its only to baltimore. 
But if there are severe complications then I would involve family and they would take me to baltimore.

so are there no legalities/code of conduct involved which would prevent one doctor from seeing a patient with complications from another doctor? I have heard 2 stories where one LL doc said "go back to your original doc".
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Michael J. Assayag, MD

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No issue at all! it depends on the surgeon.

I would be glad to see anyone in need. In the end it’s not about us, but it’s about the patient.
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Dr. Michael J Assayag MD FRCSC
Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Surgeon
http://www.heightrx.com https://www.limblength.org/conditions/short-stature
massayag@lifebridgehealth.org
IG @bonelengthening

Medium Drink Of Water

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Some doctors operate under the assumption that the other doctor did everything right, and that the problem is the patient.
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osteotummy

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No issue at all! it depends on the surgeon.

I would be glad to see anyone in need. In the end it’s not about us, but it’s about the patient.

good to know dr!

may I ask a few more questions,

1. from your webpage, femurs cost 70.000. How much would you recommend keeping as a reserve for complications like bone infection, embolism (both kinds), nail malfunction, nerve decompression and others? it would be good if you can update your webpage with this info.

2. would it be fair to extrapolate the figure you estimate to hss with the modification that there the original surgery would cost 125.000? You might know this having worked there :)

3. what would happen if a patient is hopelessly broke and has a complication to fix? he waits until it becomes critical and go to emergency room where they are obliged to treat the patient and bill him later on?

thank you dr
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Michael J. Assayag, MD

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good to know dr!

may I ask a few more questions,

1. from your webpage, femurs cost 70.000. How much would you recommend keeping as a reserve for complications like bone infection, embolism (both kinds), nail malfunction, nerve decompression and others? it would be good if you can update your webpage with this info.

2. would it be fair to extrapolate the figure you estimate to hss with the modification that there the original surgery would cost 125.000? You might know this having worked there :)

3. what would happen if a patient is hopelessly broke and has a complication to fix? he waits until it becomes critical and go to emergency room where they are obliged to treat the patient and bill him later on?

thank you dr

those are very good questions.

I would estimate that you should have anywhere between 15,000 and 25,000 usd just in case.

So far none of my patients ever had to pull the trigger on that reserve. That number is equivalent for HSS.

if you have commercial insurance (blue cross blue shield/cigna/united healthcare/aetna), complications will be covered by insurance as it becomes medical necessity.

Most hospitals won’t accept any medicaid /medical assistance from another state due to federal regulations.

Make sure you go to a good surgeon to decrease the risk of complication, however obstacles may arise even in the world’s most experienced hands.
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Dr. Michael J Assayag MD FRCSC
Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Surgeon
http://www.heightrx.com https://www.limblength.org/conditions/short-stature
massayag@lifebridgehealth.org
IG @bonelengthening
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