Health perspective Expatriate perspective

Dr Mohamad Nasir Zahari

Expatriate Lifestyle welcomes new columnist Dr M. Nasir Zahari Medical Director of Beverly Wilshire Medical Center, and an accomplished Consultant plastic, reconstructive & Cosmetic surgeon, specialising in surgical procedures that make a positive difference to peoples lives.

Surgical solutions

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We have to ensure a professional, friendly relationship and empathise with the patient. We are advisor, counselor and expert

hen it comes to cosmetic surgery, there is one aspect to be taken into account. No matter what the surgery is, no matter what technique is used, the one and only thing that cannot be forgotten or bypassed, is the relationship the surgeon will create with the patient. Lets face it. When somebody comes to have plastic surgery, it is because they think something is not right with them. We at Beverly Wilshire Medical Center pride ourselves in identifying the reasons why a patient thinks surgery is necessary. if we have the slightest doubt about the motivation behind a patients request, we will not perform the surgery, discussing in depth the reasons behind our decision to allow the individual to reconsider alternative solutions to their worries. it is not an easy conversation to have with a patient. this is where we have to ensure a professional, friendly relationship and empathise with the patient. We are advisor, counselor and expert. the needs of the patient is always our top priority, even if sometimes that doesnt necessarily mean what the patient wants. i remember one particular case. a lady had flown all the way from England to our centre. although we had had numerous contacts via emails, video conference and calls, prior to her visit, when she arrived, she told me that she had just lost her husband and wanted a change. Obviously, she was mourning her loss, and after twenty minutes in my office, she started to cry, evidently distraught how much she was missing him. as hard as it was for me to tell her, the team decided that we were not going to perform any surgery on her. What she needed was more a psychologist, who could address her angst and make her feel better, as opposed to a drastic body change with largely superficial results, results that would not solve the source of her emotional distress. there is also the fact that some patients are not always ready to accept the new them. this is why we take them through a step by step program, explaining the details of what we will be doing and, more importantly, we also

highlight that the results are not one hundred per cent guaranteed. for example, a patient who arrives in our centre with a picture of a celebrity and asks to have the same nose, the same lips or whatsoever, is destined to be disappointed as everyone is different (not to mention we dont have the powers of photoshop!) that is the key point. Everybody is different and will react differently to a surgery. through having a strong, professional dialogue with our patients, we can communicate with them to reach the solution that best serves their needs. that also goes for our facilities. Beverly Wilshire hasin my opinionthe best team in Malaysia, all trained from the best medical universities in the world. procedures are less expensive than singapore, and we have a better track record than the vast majority of facilities in thailand. We are especially popular in New Zealand, australia and Europe, in fact attracting more than two-thirds of our patients from overseas as medical travel grows. Our range of services, as many centres, is extensive and diverse. However, it is one thing to offer technical excellence and the latest stateof-the-art equipment. it is quite another to make the patient understand that their wellbeing and happiness is foremost in our minds and that we care for them in every sense of the word. if we cannot build a trusting relationship with our patient, the end result will not be up to their expectations. after all, it is our reputation at stake. But more important to us is the patient. their happiness and future wellbeing always comes first. EL Dr M. Nasir Zahari is a member of the elite Malaysian Association of Plastic, Aesthetic, and Craniofacial of facial Surgeons (MAPACS) from 1999 until present. Dr Nasir was awarded with Bachelor of Medicine in 1988 from University of Melbourne and post graduate degree at The Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) in Edinburgh (1993). Dr Nasir also obtained the Master of Surgery from University Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1995 where he was honoured with Award for Excellent Service. Dr Nasir can be contacted at Beverly Wilshire Medical Center at 03-2118 2888 or via email: enquiries@beverlywilshiremedical.com

50 | ExpatriatE LifEstyLE JUNE 2012