12/12/2025

How to Evaluate a Surgeon’s Safety Standards and Accreditation

Updated December 2025

Great results begin with great systems. Credentials, anesthesia coverage, sterilization, emergency readiness—these are the invisible guardrails that keep routine surgery routine. The problem? Safety terms get used loosely. “Board-certified,” “accredited,” and “state-of-the-art” can mean very different things depending on who’s talking. This guide gives you a practical playbook to verify safety step by step: which accreditations matter, how anesthesia should be staffed and monitored, what infection control and DVT prevention look like in real life, and exactly which documents to ask for before you put down a deposit.

Use this as your due-diligence checklist for any procedure—facelift, rhinoplasty, breast surgery, abdominoplasty, liposuction/BBL, or blepharoplasty.

The Four Non-Negotiables (Confirm These First)

Before you fall in love with a photo gallery or a quote, check the backbone of safe surgery:

True board certification. For plastic surgery, look for American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) certification—recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).
Active hospital privileges for your procedure. Privileges add independent peer oversight and create a transfer pathway for rare emergencies.
Accredited operating facility. Accept AAAASF, The Joint Commission (JCAHO), or AAAHC. You want a current certificate and the most recent inspection date.
Qualified anesthesia, present the entire case. An MD anesthesiologist or CRNA should be in the room start-to-finish with modern monitoring (ECG, pulse oximetry, non-invasive blood pressure, and capnography for moderate/deep sedation).

If any of these are unclear or missing, pause. No discount compensates for system gaps.

What Real Accreditation Covers (and How to Verify It)

AAAASF, JCAHO, and AAAHC are independent bodies that audit outpatient surgical centers on:

Anesthesia standards & monitoring (including capnography where indicated)
Emergency readiness (crash cart, defibrillator, oxygen, difficult-airway tools; staff drills)
Medication safety (secure storage, double-checks, logs, reversal agents)
Sterile processing (instrument reprocessing, biological indicators, tracking)
Infection-prevention program (hand hygiene, skin prep, antibiotic protocols when appropriate)
Quality improvement (incident tracking, peer review, corrective actions)
Transfer agreements (clear pathway to a nearby hospital)

How to verify: Ask the practice to show (or email) the current accreditation certificate and the most recent inspection date. A safety-first team will share this without hesitation and can explain what changed after the last audit.

Anesthesia: The Safety Partner You Rarely See

Even the best surgeon needs a vigilant anesthesia professional and modern monitoring.

Staffing

MD anesthesiologist or CRNA present for the entire case (not drifting between rooms).
Pre-op evaluation includes airway assessment, med review (GLP-1/anticoagulants/HRT/COCs), fasting status, and PONV (nausea) risk.

Monitoring

Continuous ECG, pulse oximetry, non-invasive blood pressure.
Capnography for moderate/deep sedation and general anesthesia.
Temperature monitoring for longer cases to reduce hypothermia risk.

Medication & airway readiness

Reversal agents available (e.g., naloxone, flumazenil) and documented.
Difficult-airway tools at hand; staff trained and drilled.

Ask: “Who is providing anesthesia? Will they be present in the entire case? What monitoring do you use, including capnography?” Get the answer—and the provider’s name—in writing.

Infection Prevention: What Good Looks Like

Skin prep appropriate to site; full antiseptic dry-time observed.
Antibiotics only when indicated (procedure-specific, time-appropriate dosing).
Sterilization validated with biological indicators; instruments tracked from processing to patient.
Traffic control in the OR (doors closed, minimal in-and-out).
Glucose control, normothermia, and gentle tissue handling to reduce infection risk.

Ask to see the infection-prevention policy and sterile-processing documentation. A nurse leader should be able to explain the program clearly.

DVT/PE Prevention: The Plan You Hope You Never Need

Blood clots are rare—but preventable strategies matter, especially for longer or combined procedures.

Risk assessment tool (e.g., Caprini or equivalent) documented pre-op.
Mechanical prophylaxis (sequential compression devices) used intra-op and post-op.
Chemoprophylaxis (anticoagulants) when indicated based on risk.
Early ambulation plan and hydration emphasized in recovery instructions.
Operative time limits and staging criteria defined in advance.

Ask: “How do you score my clot risk, what compression and medication will you use if indicated, and what are your staging triggers if a combined case runs long?”

Emergency Readiness: Proving the “What If”

Crash cart & defibrillator checked per protocol; logs up to date.
Airway cart with supraglottic devices and video laryngoscope access.
Emergency drills run and documented (airway, malignant hyperthermia, anaphylaxis, local anesthetic systemic toxicity).
Hospital transfer agreement and route posted; staff know their roles.

Ask to see the emergency equipment and the last drill date. The goal isn’t to quiz them—it’s to confirm a practiced plan.

Policy & Paperwork: What You Should Receive

A safety-first practice will provide the following in writing before you pay any deposit:

Accreditation certificate and inspection date
Anesthesia details (provider credentials, continuous presence, monitoring standards; PONV + multimodal pain plan)
Hospital privileges confirmation for your procedure
DVT prevention protocol and staging criteria (when they split combined cases)
Infection-prevention overview and sterile-processing summary
Recovery roadmap (restrictions, garments/positioning, work/drive windows, off-loading rules for BBL)
Written revision policy (timing, criteria, typical costs)
After-hours contact and follow-up schedule
Itemized quote (surgeon, anesthesia, facility, garments/meds, likely extras; payment/cancellation terms)

No documents? No booking.

Questions to Ask During Your Consultation (Copy/Paste This Table)

Topic	Example Question
Accreditation	“Which organization accredits your facility (AAAASF/JCAHO/AAAHC), and when was your most recent inspection?”
Anesthesia	“Who provides anesthesia, will they present the entire case, and what monitoring do you use (including capnography)?”
Privileges	“At which hospital do you hold active privileges for my procedure?”
Emergency readiness	“Where is the crash cart/defibrillator, and how often do you run emergency drills?”
Infection control	“How do you handle sterile processing and antibiotic timing for my procedure?”
DVT prevention	“How do you score my clot risk, and what mechanical/medication prophylaxis will you use if indicated?”
Time limits & staging	“What are your operative time limits and criteria to stage procedures if a case runs long?”
Recovery specifics	“What is my work-capable vs. photo-comfortable timeline and the key restrictions I should plan for?”
Photos & scars	“Please show standardized photos at 6 weeks/3 months/12 months with scars visible on patients like me.”
Policy & pricing	“Can I have your written revision policy, after-hours contacts, and an itemized quote by email?”

Write answers down verbatim—specifics separate safety systems from sales talk.

Red Flags (Two or More? Seek a Second Opinion)

“Board-certified” without naming the ABPS (or listing only non-ABMS cosmetic boards).
No active hospital privileges for your procedure.
No proof of accreditation or staff can’t explain the last inspection.
Anesthesia opacity: no named provider, no guarantee of continuous presence, or no capnography for moderate/deep sedation.
No DVT plan or casual approach to long combined cases; no staging criteria.
Vague infection control; can’t explain sterile processing or antibiotic timing.
Emergency equipment unseen; no drill dates.
Guarantees (“scarless,” “no downtime,” “perfect symmetry”) and pressure discounts.
Policy opacity: no written revision policy, no after-hours pathway, no itemized quote.

Safety-first teams are proud to show receipts.

Procedure-Specific Safety Nuances (What to Double-Check)

Facelift/Neck Lift

Airway monitoring and nausea prevention plan (PONV) to reduce coughing/hematoma risk.
Hairline/earlobe protection strategies; drains/pressure protocols when used.
Blood pressure control intra- and post-op.

Rhinoplasty

Breathing function considered alongside aesthetics; packing/splint protocols.
Infection prevention balanced with cartilage graft handling and meticulous hemostasis.

Breast Augmentation/Lift/Reduction

Capsular contracture counseling, pocket management, and antibiotic strategy.
DVT prevention for longer lift/combination cases; drain and garment plans.

Abdominoplasty

Diastasis repair technique; DVT prevention emphasized; ambulation timeline.
Low-scar placement with tension control; drain vs. drainless rationale.

Liposuction/BBL

Conservative volume philosophy, operative time limits, and strict off-loading rules.
Anesthesia presence and temperature management for longer cases.

Blepharoplasty

Dry-eye risk screening and lubrication plan; sedation monitoring even if local; head-elevation strategy.

How to Audit a Center in 10 Minutes (On-Site)

Ask for the accreditation certificate and inspection date—take a quick photo.
Confirm anesthesia: name, credentials, continuous presence, and monitoring (capnography).
Locate the crash cart/defibrillator and ask when the last drill occurred.
Review the recovery roadmap with specific restrictions and follow-up schedule.
Collect the documents: privileges confirmation, DVT plan, revision policy, itemized quote, after-hours contact.

If any step triggers defensiveness, thank them and keep looking.

Turn Safety Talk Into a Written Plan (Receipts, Not Promises)

Email the coordinator with a polite request for your safety packet:

Accreditation certificate + inspection date
Anesthesia provider + monitoring standards
Hospital privileges confirmation for your procedure
DVT prevention & staging criteria
Infection-prevention/sterile-processing overview
Recovery roadmap, after-hours contact, follow-up schedule
Written revision policy and itemized quote

Review at home, compare calmly, and only then decide.

FAQs

Is state licensure enough to prove a clinic is safe?
No. Licensure is basic permission to operate. You still need recognized accreditation, verified anesthesia standards, and hospital privileges for your procedure.

Do all outpatient centers use capnography?
They should for moderate/deep sedation and general anesthesia. If capnography isn’t part of routine monitoring, that’s a red flag.

If a surgeon has hospital privileges, do I still need accreditation?
Yes. Privileges backstop emergencies; accreditation verifies the outpatient environment’s systems day-to-day.

Are combined surgeries always unsafe?
Not necessarily, but they demand strict time limits, DVT protocols, and clear staging criteria. If those aren’t defined, reconsider.

Can I rely on reviews to judge safety?
Treat reviews as supporting evidence only. True safety is proven by documents: accreditation, anesthesia presence/monitoring, privileges, policies, and a realistic recovery plan.

Your Safety & Accreditation Checklist (Print and Use)

I confirmed ABPS board certification and active hospital privileges for my procedure.
I obtained the facility’s accreditation certificate (AAAASF/JCAHO/AAAHC) and inspection date.
I know who provides anesthesia, that they’ll be present the entire case, and that monitoring includes capnography for moderate/deep sedation.
I reviewed the DVT prevention plan and staging criteria for combined cases.
I received an infection-prevention overview and sterile-processing summary.
I have a written recovery roadmap, after-hours contacts, and a follow-up schedule.
I received a written revision policy and an itemized quote (surgeon, anesthesia, facility, garments/meds, likely extras; payment/cancellation terms).
I experienced no pressure to book and will compare documents calmly at home.

Find Your Match

Ready to choose a surgeon whose safety systems are as strong as their results? AestheticMatch connects you with board-certified, pre-vetted plastic surgeons who operate in accredited facilities and provide transparent documentation before you book.