Your Consultation
The guiding principle of Dr. Baker’s practice philosophy is to treat every patient as he would treat a member of his family. At your initial consult, he will spend a great deal of time to ensure that he clearly understand your goals and concerns. Digital photography, both 2-dimensional and 3-dimesional, is a useful tool that allows Dr. Baker to modify your pictures to help you determine your goals and desired result. The ability to predict the postoperative result on the computer is a tool that is useful to ensure that you are both visualizing the same postoperative result.
After Dr. Baker feels that he understands your goals, he will discuss all of the options that could be safely used to achieve your desired result. In almost all cases, there are several options, each with its inherent advantages and limitations. In order to help you arrive at the best approach for you, Dr. Baker will review each option using slide presentations that will show you, in great detail, how each of these approaches is performed and the results you can expect. Through the use of medical illustrations and before and after photos of his patients, you will gain an understanding of each treatment option. After having discussed the different alternatives, Dr. Baker will help you decide which approach best will meet your needs and fit your lifestyle.
“My practice philosophy is to honestly believe that every decision I make is the same for my patients as it would be for my family. The only guarantee I can give to my patient is that I will always give my best effort. If you are interested in discussing your concerns in my office, please call my office for an appointment. I look forward to meeting you and thank you for taking the time to review my website.”
– Dr. Stephen B. Baker
Dual income households are not uncommon in the Washington DC Metropolitan region, and many patients do not have the luxury of a prolonged recovery. Dr. Baker will inform you of the factors that contribute to your aesthetic concerns but will also present a variety of treatment plans so you have the option to choose the one that best fits your lifestyle. More extensive procedures provide results with greater longevity, but if you prefer a shorter recovery, Dr. Baker offers procedures that get his patients back to work quickly with minimal bruising and swelling.
If you are a patient making a consultation for an aesthetic procedure, there is a fee for the consultation. Many offices offer free cosmetic consultations and then push procedures and products once they have you in their office. Dr. Baker’s philosophy is that you are paying for an honest consultation regarding your concerns, and you will receive a comprehensive evaluation by a nationally recognized expert. He is philosophically opposed to “selling” surgery, and our office does not have a “closer.” Surgery is just that, surgery, and the patient should enter the relationship with the surgeon with a clear understanding of the benefits, but also the risks, of each procedure. Dr. Baker emphasizes safety and predictability in procedures that he feels are well-suited for his patients. He will spend as much time with you as necessary to make you feel comfortable with your decision. He will see you as many times as necessary at no additional charge to ensure you are educated and comfortable with your decision. Dr. Baker will be honest and tell you when he does not think surgery will give you the results you desire. You are paying for a professional opinion and that is what you will receive.
Safety is the most important aspect of surgery, especially when it is elective. Dr. Baker takes great pride in offering the safest possible environment for his patients. All the hospitals at which he operates are certified by the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Hospital Organizations (JCAHO) and so are his office facilities. What does this mean to you as a patient? Because Dr. Baker’s offices are under the supervision of Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, all of our instruments are sterilized in the operating room autoclaves. All medications (Botox, fillers, local anesthesia, etc) are discarded the day of expiration regardless of how much is left in the bottle. The hygiene, safety, and confidentiality for his patients are held to the highest standard. On a national level, Dr. Baker has served as the President of the Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons, President of the American Society of Craniofacial Surgeons, Vice Chairman of the Safety Committee of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and has authored peer reviewed journal articles on patient safety within the official journal for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
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