OMC's plastic surgery team makes it their mission 'to make people’s lives better'
“Plastic surgery is the combination of anatomy and imagination. You have to know where the muscles are. You have to know where the nerves are coming from. And then you imagine what you can do with it.”
That quote comes from Ricky P. Clay, MD, Olmsted Medical Center’s latest addition to its plastic surgery unit. Dr. Clay — a longtime plastic surgeon with prior experience at the University of Mississippi and locally at Mayo Clinic — was talked out of retirement by the originator of the hospital’s plastic surgery practice, Srdan Babovic, MD.
The two go back years, from the time they were both in training, and Dr. Clay says it was OMC’s patient-first philosophy that convinced him to come aboard.
“The idea here is that we are trying to make people’s lives better,” says Dr. Clay.
With Dr. Clay’s arrival, OMC now has two highly trained physicians, along with a team of dedicated nurses and patient service representatives, who are ready to help patients every step of the way. From the first consultation to the patient’s final follow-up appointment, patients can expect to form a long-standing relationship and be treated like family by the OMC team.
Dr. Babovic says that means demonstrating compassion, engaging in honest conversation, and ensuring a patient’s needs are cared for throughout the experience.
“If you hold their hands and get them through this journey, and they feel confident in you; that’s what they are looking for,” says Dr. Babovic.
Wide Range of Choices
OMC offers a wide range of choices for reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery helps patients improve the look or function after an injury or as a result of a health or medical condition. Cosmetic surgery is done to change part of the body to help an individual feel more comfortable with how they look. Certain cosmetic procedures aren't surgical and may use treatments such as lasers.
Honest dialogue
Dr. Clay says he has seen a lot of changes over his career, from new procedures to shifts in public attitude about plastic surgery. Through it all, though, he says many parts of his approach remain the same. Top among them: being truthful and transparent.
“As I tell patients, ‘I will be bluntly honest with you,’” shares Dr. Clay.
The belief in honest communication is fundamental to OMC’s Plastic Surgery department. Because when it comes to cosmetic surgery, Dr. Clay emphasizes that it is critical that patients have all the information before making a decision on potential treatment.
“I never allow people to decide on cosmetic surgery in one visit,” says Dr. Clay. “I always want them to go back home and think about it, and come back a second time, to be sure we can answer any questions.”
When talking with prospective patients, he advises them to be honest with themselves about why they are seeking treatment. The reasons, he shares, should come from within.
“People who get cosmetic surgery should be somebody who wants to feel better about themselves for their own reasons,” says Dr. Clay.
Tailored approach
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to plastic surgery.
That explains why both physicians at OMC make it a priority to listen to patients’ concerns and offer solutions tailored to their goals.
“As part of the consultation, we talk about goals and expectations for surgery,” explains Dr. Babovic. “Following the discussion, together with the patient, we develop a customized plan that’s right for them, taking into consideration, among other things, their preferences and reasons for treatment.”
From there, it’s about delivering a course of treatment that leaves the patient feeling confident in their new look; that the procedure has helped bring out the best version of themselves.
“When it comes to cosmetic surgery, we are aiming for subtle changes that leave them feeling and looking refreshed,” says Dr. Clay. “I want your friends to look at you and say, ‘Have you been on vacation? You look rested.’”
Experienced team
Not only do Drs. Clay and Babovic have years’ experience, they also make a concerted effort to put themselves at the forefront of modern plastic surgery techniques.
As Dr. Babovic tells it, “Half of what we do today probably did not exist 5-6 years ago.”
While both physicians are healthy skeptics of new advances in their industry, they are also investigators. They do extensive research and, when the science and peer-reviewed research checks out, they look at how best to implement the new procedures. Newly added procedures currently include Platelet Rich Plasma for hair restoration and skin rejuvenation as well as a new laser which is resulting in great outcomes for specific skin conditions.
It is that mix of experience and innovation that drives OMC’s plastic surgery department.
“We have a wealth of experience in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery to offer our patients because we have been through all of it for so many years. And, as a result, we’re able to provide the most appropriate treatment,” says Dr. Clay.
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