A ^Retired Plastic Surgeon's Notebook

Out of Town Patients

Out of Town Patients – Seattle Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Lisa Lynn Sowder can perform your surgery even if you live in China (really!)

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Make sure to pack a friend or family member to help take care of you!

Globalization has hit medicine and I treat a lot of out-of-town and a lot of out-of-country patients. Usually, these patients contact me as an e-mail inquiry.

Travelling for your procedure does add a layer of complexity to surgery and in my opinion, it’s often better to stay close to home.  Make sure you evaluate your home town options before hopping on a plane.  There are many, many excellent plastic surgeons out there.  A good place to start your search would be www.plasticsurgery.org.  You can enter your location and find plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in your area.

If you decide you want to or need to travel  for your surgery, Seattle is well served by many airlines and there are several very nice and affordable hotels near my office. The Sorrento offers special prices for our patients and has wonderful pillows and a great fireside lounge. The Baroness and the Inn at Virginia Mason offer units with kitchenettes. They are all within walking or wheelchair distance to my office. I often make a “hotel call” for dressing changes.

All out of town patients need an adult companion at least for the first night after surgery. Seattle is a wonderful city to visit and your companion will have plenty to do while you putter around your hotel room. If you cannot arrange a friend or family member to travel with you, there are nurses for hire in Seattle.  The length of time you need to stay in Seattle depends on the type of procedure you are considering.

Sometimes I hear from a potential patient who want to fly in the day of surgery and leave the next day.  Unless the procedure is very, very minor, that does not work.  Surgery requires planning on the front end and that almost always requires an in person evaluation and surgery requires some follow-up on the back end.  Please remember, just because it is plastic surgery does not mean it is real surgery!

If you are interested in coming to Seattle for your surgery, here is what you need to do:

  • Call my office and ask to set up a phone consultation.  My office will get you registered and get you on my schedule.
  • Once you are scheduled, send me photos of the area(s) of your concern.  Make sure they are of good quality and show a frontal view, a side view and an oblique view.
  • My office will have provided you with instructions on how to access the patient log in of our electronic medical record.  This will allow you to fill in a health history survey.
  • I will give you a call at the time we have scheduled.  This will be Pacific Time so if you are on the other side of the country or the world, take note.

My usual consultation fee of $100 applies to out-of-town consultations.

Questions?  Give us a call.  (206) 467-1101.