How to Find an Endometriosis Surgeon

Step One:

Try Googling something like:
“Best Endometriosis surgeon in the United States” (insert your country, state, city – wherever is accessible.) There are some “lists” online, but there is no such thing as a formally vetted Endometriosis surgeon or specific designation. Use the same due diligence when looking through those lists. Use them as a starting point.

Step Two:

Search the doctor for written articles, publications, and their CV! (experience, training, etc.) You may need to google something like: “Dr. ___ CV/Education/Fellowship.”
Note who has the most training and surgical experience. More publications do NOT mean better. They should be operating more than publishing. Reading their work CAN help determine how they believe Endometriosis should be treated. Some will publish on behalf of pharmaceutical companies.

Step Three:

Search the Federal Government Open Payments Data to see if they are getting paid tens of thousands of dollars by Abbvie, Myovant, etc. Getting paid by surgical device companies isn’t really a red flag, nor is a few hundred here and there – sometimes it is just a sales pitch lunch the doctor doesn’t have control over.

Step Four:

Search reviews! Do not use their hospital system reviews. They are always highly rated there. Search Google reviews, health grades, vitals, rates, etc. Dig through social media, but be mindful. Who has had surgery/exam with the doc vs. those who just had a bad first impression. Consider the reviewer’s expectations – not every surgeon is a good fit for every patient. Find a trend.

Step Five:

Save multiple options, if possible. Check who takes your insurance and who is out of network for price comparisons. The surgeon fee is not the same as all medical costs. If the hospital isn’t in-network with your insurance, you are considering very high costs. Some surgeons operate at more affordable surgery centers.

Step Six:

Make your shortlist, then contact the surgeon(s). If they are not local, see who will do a free review (typically via phone call) or a telehealth consult (these will cost money). If the surgeon is out of network, expensive consults are red flags. Expensive is relative, but $400+ is absurd and an immediate cross-off on my list unless it includes a full in-person exam.

Step Seven:

The most important step. Trust your gut. Your intuition is valuable. If you are hesitant at all, it is unlikely you will be satisfied going into surgery with a negative feeling. While I had a great outcome with my surgeon and loved him, that may not be the case for everyone. We are all unique, with different values, needs, wants, and financial circumstances.

To sum it all up:

Finding the right surgeon for YOUR case is a personal part of the journey. Not all surgeons are a good match for all patients. Not all surgeons have the same skillset. Being a phenomenal surgeon is like being an artist, from my experience meeting with them and watching them operate.

Some are uniquely talented at treating bowel Endometriosis, while others are uniquely skilled at operating around the pelvic nerves. In a perfect world, our surgeon would be the best at it all, but Endometriosis is incredibly complex and nuanced! There are absolutely surgeons who are well-rounded, and great for more cases, but sometimes a patient has a very complex bowel case. In that scenario, the highest priority would be finding the best for that specific case. This is why finding the right surgeon for our specific case is so personal.

Take your time and trust your gut. Sometimes we have to see someone who may not be the best out there, but they are who we can afford – in those situations, it is critical to make sure they at least focus on operating on complex gynecological cases and not general OBGYN care. Check out my pyramid post for more details!