Choosing who will perform your hip or knee replacement is one of the more important decisions a patient makes. It can feel difficult to judge from the outside. Every surgeon's website says much the same thing. Mr Kosuge believes patients are best served by knowing what actually matters, so here are the questions worth asking of any surgeon you are considering, including him.
Ask about experience and specialisation
Hip and knee replacement is done best by surgeons who do a lot of it. It is entirely reasonable to ask how often a surgeon performs the operation you need and whether hip and knee replacement is their main area of practice rather than an occasional part of it. A specialist focus tends to show in the results.
Ask to see outcome data
The most useful question of all is whether the surgeon can show you their own results. Ask about their patient-reported outcomes and their complication and infection rates. Ask too how their length of stay and revision rates compare. A surgeon who measures and publishes their outcomes is telling you something important about how they work. Mr Kosuge publishes his outcome and patient experience data for exactly this reason.
Ask what patients say
Independent, verified patient reviews are a genuine window into what the experience is like. Look at whether reviews are recent, consistent and posted on verified platforms rather than only selected quotes on a website. Consistency across hundreds of reviews is more telling than any single testimonial.
Ask about the practicalities
It is fair to ask who will actually perform the operation, who you will see at follow-up, what happens if there is a complication and whether the surgeon deals with revision surgery should it ever be needed. Clear answers to these questions are a good sign.
Check the basics
Every consultant surgeon in the UK is on the General Medical Council register, which you can check yourself. Most also hold recognition from the major insurers. Involvement in teaching, research or professional bodies is a further sign of a surgeon engaged with current practice.
Meeting Mr Kosuge
The best way to judge any surgeon is to meet them, ask these questions and see whether you feel confident and well informed. To arrange a consultation or follow-up at The Rivers Hospital, High Wych Road, Sawbridgeworth CM21 0HH:
Telephone: 01279 602675