A dried floral wreath hanging on the door and a handsome topiary framing on the entry are the first signs of what awaits you inside. Although
located in a standard-issue medical building in Rochester Hills, one
suite truly stands out from the rest both aesthetically and, more
important, in its level of patient care.
Natural
light floods the well-appointed waiting room: comfortable, upholstered
chairs, and handsome coffee table, butter cookies and mints and current
issues of popular magazines rather than piles of dog-eared periodicals
from several season past. The staff greets you professionally and
courteously while going about their business in hushed tones. Instead
of feeling anxious, you're immediately put at ease; you'll be in good
hands.
And so it goes at north Oakland Plastic Surgery in Rochester Hills,
under the direction of Richard Hainer, M.D., which celebrates its
one-year anniversary this August.
A
graduate of the University of Michigan School of Medicine, Dr. Hainer
did not set out to be a plastic surgeon. Rather, his area of specialty
was general surgery, and for a time he had considered being an orthopedic
surgeon with emphasis on the hand.
After
his residency at the plastic and reconstructive surgery division at
Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, and a fellowship in
hand surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Hainer became a junior associate
at the Sandusky Plastic Surgery Center in 1998.
But
having grown up in the Detroit area, and with close family members
nearby, Dr. Hainer and his wife decided to plant some roots here,
returning to Oakland County last summer. To say he has been pleased
with the return home, as well as with the level at which his practice
has grown, is an understatement.
"This
really is a vibrant area. The people here ask for the types of procedures
we provide. They're educated and they understand it."
Dr.
Hainer considers himself a "head-to-toe" surgeon, and his
is a full-service practice because he does not turn away cases, especially
those that involve trauma or reconstruction. In fact, he continues
to have a strong interest in working with conditions affecting the
hand.
"Hand
Surgeons by nature are meticulous, thus making for a good aesthetic
surgeon, " he explains.
Dr.
Hainer's approach to dealing with patients is as focused as his surgical
skills. "My job is not to point out deficiencies. I see my job
as somewhat of a problem solver and educator first, plastic surgeon
second."
The
initial consultation (for which there is no charge) is about education
and listening to a patient's concerns. Dr. Hainer then discusses his
approach while offering some solutions for the patient to consider.
"I'm not interested in a cookie-cutter path here, in that all
clients have the same needs. That simply is not the case."
Further,
he explains to patient's the importance of doing their homework before
choosing their plastic surgeon. He encourages clients to ask questions
of their doctor such as if the doctor is certified by the American
Society of Plastic Surgery, and at which hospitals he or she has privileges.
For
the record, Dr. Hainer is certified by the ASPS and has privileges
at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak and Troy, as well as at
St. Joseph Mercy and Crittenton Hospitals.
"It's
all about service and I let my good work and patient care speak for
themselves," he says. In fact, he eschews an answering service,
preferring that patients page him after hours and on weekends.
At
North Oakland Plastic Surgery, the most popular procedures continue
to be liposuction, breast augmentation, body contouring and breast
reconstruction. "People want surgical procedures that are less
invasive and they want a quick recovery time," Dr. Hainer explains.
"Treatments such as laser resurfacing, the use of botox and collagen
injections and other non-invasive treatments have increased."
And not to mention that people in general area taking better care
of their skin and protecting it against the signs of aging and sun
damage.
Finally,
Dr. Hainer issues one more caveat: "If a claim sounds too good
to be true, it usually is," Some wise medicine indeed.
