Everyone wants the best deal in anything in life…and in plastic surgery this concept is no different. However, the very cost-conscious patient (shopper) in plastic surgery often turns out to be a problem patient.
I am not saying that every patient that wants to negotiate price is a problem, it just seems that there is a disproportionately high number that comes from this type of patient. What I have learned over the years is that discounting price for patients, in and of itself, does not seem like a bad idea since it can create more volume. The problem is…most very cost-conscious patients want more. They take up more of your time and often are more demanding than ‘full-price’ patients. Because they have a lower price, they also value your time less. And they certainly do not thank you for giving them a price break by asking for less of a service or less of a result.
And the real problem can begin…if and when…revisional surgery is ever needed. That is a potential cost issue that few patients factor into their plastic surgery budget…and the very cost-conscious patient most certainly does not. Discounting prices in plastic surgery can be a very bad idea…particularly if it indirectly encourages patients to undergo surgery for which thay can not really financially afford.
Dr Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana