Choosing the Right Hernia Repair Surgeon
Hernia repair is a common surgery by today’s medical standards – as common as cesarean sections and appendectomies. That’s not to say that you should settle for any surgeon to repair your hernia. Hernia repair is a surgery, which is serious, even if common. Surgeons have areas in which they specialize.
Once your hernia is diagnosed, next comes selecting a surgeon to perform your repair and guide you through a successful recovery period. A referral from your general practitioner, a friend, a coach, neighbor, family member and an internet search can help you develop your short list.
Schedule a consultation appointment with your first choice. If you’re not completely comfortable with him or her, it is well worth the extra co-pay to schedule an appointment with another surgeon. And so on, until you are confident in the surgeon’s capability to repair your hernia.
Dr. Brown’s tip: “Bedside manner is important, but it should not surpass the surgeon’s skill in rank of importance. Ideally, your surgeon has skill and personality, but skill should win every time. Luckily for my patients, I’m as friendly as I am surgically skilled and experienced. And, let us not forget modest.”
1. A Surgeon in Your Health Insurance Network
Unless money is no object or you do not have health insurance, contact your provider to get a list of surgeons in their network. You, of course, can go outside of your network, but you will pay more out of pocket expenses. Learn more about how health insurance works with hernia repair surgery.
Total costs will vary based on your insurance type, hospital or surgical center fees and other costs, especially since all fees can only be estimated prior to the actual hernia repair surgery. Rest assured that Dr. William Brown and his office staff work with reasonably priced surgical centers. Our staff guides patients through bills to ensure you’re prepared for the final cost and that it’s accurate.
2. Education is Important, but Ivy League Doesn’t Always Equate to Best Qualified
You want an experienced surgeon who graduated top of the class from a prestigious medical school and sailed through a competitive residency. Keep your surgeon’s education in perspective. Graduating from the best school in cardiac surgery isn’t a fair qualifier for hernia repair. Verify your surgeon’s license and credentials with your state medical board. Read other patients’ reviews of their experience with the surgeon.
3. There are Two Types of Experience and Both Count
Consider both the years of experience your hernia repair surgeon has as a surgeon in general and how long he or she has been repairing hernias. The more the better in both career and specialty.
As for Dr. Brown, he has been performing sports hernia surgeries and providing specialized rehabilitation programs since 1999, and his credentials are:
Training
• St. Louis University Medical School, Class of 1980
• St. Louis University Hospitals, Residency General Surgery,
• Class of 1985 Vallee Willman MD Chairman
• St. Louis University Hospitals, Fellowship and General Vascular Surgery,
• Class of 1986 Gary Peterson MD Chairman
Certifications
• Board Certified in Surgery, 2026
• Board Certified in General Vascular Surgery, 2018
Experience
• Surgeon for the San Jose Sharks Hockey Team
• Surgeon for the San Jose Sabercats
• Surgeon for San Jose Earthquakes Soccer Team
4. Matching the Right Repair Method to Your Hernia
There are several methods to repair a hernia and your surgeon should have all of them in his or her skillset. The method of repair depends on the type of hernia you have, your unique anatomy, and the extent of the injury.
To find out more about Dr. Brown, contact him at his office today.