Policies and Procedures

If you are ill, please re-schedule your appointment, or call for telemedicine appointment.

Scheduling / Timeliness:

Consultations with Dr. Laverson are a personalized service directed toward your benefit.  We gather information about your situation, understand your desired outcome, examine your features, accommodate your preferences, and develop (a)  proposed treatment plan(s) within the context of surgical possibility.  We reserve our office, our staff, and other resources for your consultation.  Please arrive several minutes before your appointment time.  If not changed or cancelled at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled appointment, your appointment fee is non-refundable, but applies toward any service.  If you no call / no show, an alert will be assigned to your file that may prevent future scheduling.  

Parking:

We’re conveniently located in the Village of Rancho Santa Fe at 16903 Avenida de Acacias, across the street from the Historic Rancho Santa Fe Inn, on the corner of La Flecha and Avenida de Acacias.  Street parking during the week is easily available. 

Financial:

Surgery is complex and costly.  The person receiving service(s) is responsible for payment in full prior to or at the time of service(s). Steve Laverson MD, PC does not bill third party payers for services provided. Outside funding sources are available. Our office will help arrange financing as needed. For cosmetic procedures, a partial non-refundable payment (often 20%) reserves your position on our surgery schedule, and represents your decision to proceed. Payment in full and/or financing is due at your pre-operative appointment one to two weeks before your procedure. This permits final preparation of staff, anesthesia, supplies, equipment, garments, and/or implants. Final payment for office procedures is due prior to or on the date of operation. Revision procedures may incur additional expense.  A $250.00 refund is offered per patient at long term follow up (6 months to two years) after major procedures.

Privacy / Confidentiality:

Your privacy is respected and your confidentiality secured in accordance with ethical professional standards and with federal guidelines enumerated in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Our Notice of Privacy Practices is posted in the reception area of our office.  Privacy protections of HIPAA are waived in matters of a dispute of payment.  Privacy protections are waived by posting harmful content related to your treatment or result online.

Compliance with Instructions & Follow Up:

The outcome(s) of your procedure(s) is/are dependent on many variables, some unknown and unpredictable.  There is NEVER ANY GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY of any particular result from plastic surgery.  Your presenting anatomy, your  inherited genetic characteristics, your aesthetic standards and expectations, details of your procedure, and events that unfold during recovery all influence your outcome.  Your result is determined by both your surgical procedure AND by the course of healing.  Compliance with post-surgical instructions and follow-up office visits during the months of healing are essential.  Only if you visit us for important post-surgical care up to two years after your operation can you expect the best outcome.  Sometimes, even when all goes well the result of an aesthetic procedure is disappointing.  Such circumstances, should they occur, may be difficult for you to manage.  We care deeply for you and about your result and do all we can to support every patient but we cannot totally control natural biology.  If revision surgery to improve your result is indicated, expect additional expenses.  To promote follow-up and detect problems of which you may not be aware, a $250.00 refund is available per patient at long term follow up (6 months to two years) after major procedures.  Do not schedule any procedure unless you plan to follow up with us for the best result.

Disabilities / Special Needs:

Our office is completely accessible to the disabled, however, we ask for advance notice if you may require accommodation by additional time on our schedule and/or staff or equipment to assist.  Please inform us in advance if you and/or a guest will need wheelchair assistance, personal assistance in physical support and/or mobility, if you are accompanied by a service animal / emotional support animal, or if you have other special needs.  We reserve the right to postpone appointments for any individual we feel inadequately prepared to serve.

We’re animal lovers, and also love our patients!  For infection control, pets and emotional support animals are excluded from our office.  Service dogs are permitted in office, but are excluded from sub-sterile and sterile areas (the operating suite).  Be prepared to identify your dog as a service animal, and to explain task(s) the service dog performs.

Medical Memory Records and Securely Stores Your Consultation

During your second (pre-operative) office visit, we video-record your informed consent and securely store the recording at The Medical Memory for your later access to this information as needed.  You may register and download the application to your mobile device, or we will enter your e-mail address in The Medical Memory, and you’ll receive the download link by e-mail after your consultation is recorded.