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MiamiSurgeryGuide

Before surgery · Step 1

Choosing a surgeon safely

Instagram results and low prices are what most patients see first. Licenses, board certification and the operating facility are what actually protect you — and all three take about 15 minutes to check yourself.

By the MiamiSurgeryGuide editorsUpdated 4 min read

At a glance

Start with the operating surgeon’s identity, official license and board-certification checks, the surgical facility and a written follow-up plan. Use reviews to prepare questions, not as proof of clinical quality.

Smiling woman with long hair in a fitted red velvet dress
Photograph: Daniel Tobby / Pexels

The 15-minute check

Do these three lookups for the surgeon who will actually operate on you — not just the practice owner whose name is on the building.

  1. Florida license. Search the surgeon's name on the Florida Department of Health license verification portal. Confirm the status is Clear/Active, then open the profile and check for public complaints or discipline.
  2. Board certification. Search on the American Board of Plastic Surgery. If the surgeon claims a different board, check CertificationMatters.org (covers all ABMS member boards). "Board-certified" without naming the board is a reason to ask more questions.
  3. Hospital privileges. Ask which hospital the surgeon can admit you to if something goes wrong. Surgeons with privileges for the same procedure at a local hospital have been reviewed by that hospital.
Tip

Screenshot each result with the date. If the practice later switches your surgeon, you'll know to re-check.

The operating facility

Many Miami cosmetic procedures are done in an office surgical suite rather than a hospital. That's normal — but the suite should be either:

  • Registered with the Florida Department of Health as an office surgery site. Florida requires registration and inspection for offices doing Level II or III office surgery or liposuction removing more than 1,000 cc of fat (§ 458.328, F.S.). Ask the practice for its registration and the name of the designated responsible physician.
  • Accredited by AAAASF (QUAD A), AAAHC, or The Joint Commission. Ask for the accreditation certificate and confirm it on the accreditor's site.
  • Or a licensed ambulatory surgery center or hospital — searchable on FloridaHealthFinder.

Florida's BBL (gluteal fat grafting) rules

After South Florida recorded more BBL deaths than anywhere else in the country, Florida added specific standards to § 458.328 (effective July 2023, amended 2024). For gluteal fat grafting in an office setting, the law requires:

  • The operating surgeon examines you in person, in the same room, no later than the day before surgery.
  • Ultrasound guidance (or equivalent board-approved technology) while fat is injected.
  • Fat injected only into the subcutaneous layer — never into or under the muscle.
  • A 1 surgeon : 1 patient ratio from anesthesia through extubation — your surgeon can't be running between rooms.

Ask directly: "Will Dr. ___ examine me in person before surgery day? Do you use ultrasound for the fat transfer?" A confident yes is what you want to hear.

At the consultation

  • Who will do my surgery — the whole surgery? Who closes?
  • Who gives anesthesia — an anesthesiologist (MD) or a CRNA? Will they stay with me the whole time?
  • What's included in the price: anesthesia, facility, garments, post-op visits, revisions?
  • How many procedures are you combining, and how long will I be under anesthesia?
  • Do you require a pre-op blood test and medical clearance? What's my minimum hemoglobin?
  • Who do I call at 2 a.m. on day 3? Will a person answer?
  • Which recovery houses or nurses do you work with — and do you have any financial relationship with them?
  • What's the deposit and refund policy if my labs or clearance don't pass?

Red flags

Walk away, or ask much harder questions, if…
  • You can't find the operating surgeon on the Florida license portal.
  • You're told you'll "meet the doctor on surgery day."
  • Prices are far below other Miami practices, with pressure to pay a non-refundable deposit fast.
  • The "coordinator" only communicates through Instagram DMs or WhatsApp and won't give a practice address.
  • Your pre-op labs are waived, or you're told low hemoglobin "is fine."
  • The practice books your recovery house for you but won't tell you its address.

What patients say online

Paraphrased themes from public patient forums and news investigations — not quotes, and not medical advice:

Several patients describe meeting their actual surgeon only minutes before being taken to the operating room, and wishing they'd insisted on a real consultation.Theme · news investigation & patient forums
Newcomers in patient communities often ask for surgeons based on before/after photos alone; experienced posters repeatedly tell them to check licensing and the facility first.Theme · RealSelf community forums
Patients who had complications most often say the hardest part was not being able to reach the practice after hours.Theme · RealSelf reviews

Sources: Florida Statutes § 458.328; American Board of Plastic Surgery; CBS News Miami investigation on navigating plastic surgery in South Florida; RealSelf community forums. See our sources.

Before you pay a deposit

Get the answers and the cancellation policy in writing. Keep your quote, receipts and messages together.

  • Who is my operating surgeon, where will surgery take place, and when will I meet the surgeon?
  • Who answers clinical questions before surgery? Which questions go to a coordinator?
  • What happens if the surgeon, procedure, location or date changes? Can I decline the change?
  • What happens to my deposit if I am not cleared, need more tests or must reschedule?
  • What is included in the quote, and which charges remain estimates?
  • Which follow-up visits are included? Who sees me if my surgeon is unavailable?
  • What number do I call after hours, and what should I do if nobody responds?
  • Who coordinates care after I return home? How do I obtain my records?
  • How are additional treatment and revision requests assessed and charged?

A consultation is also a chance to assess whether your questions are answered clearly. Use the budget worksheet and online-review guide alongside official credential checks.