Do you have hospital privileges to perform this procedure?

Hospital privileges and your eyelid procedure

Where the hospital fits in your procedure

That depends on the surgeon, so ask directly. A good answer names the facility and says where the procedure would take place.

Privileges belong to a specific facility

Hospital privileges are tied to a specific facility, so the useful question has two parts. Which facility, and does this surgeon hold privileges there for this procedure. Some eyelid procedures may be planned for a different setting than a hospital, so ask where yours would be done and why that setting was chosen for you.

You can also check the answer yourself. Ask the facility's office whether the surgeon is on staff there.

Adding privileges to your eyelid question list

Add this question to your consult list along with training, setting, anesthesia, and follow-up. If a concern about a surgeon's care comes up later, the state health department explains how to file a complaint. For wider background, see a plastic surgery society's blog post on finding the right surgeon and a hospital system's guide to eyelid surgery and recovery.

Weighing privileges against eyelid experience

Privileges are one data point about a surgeon, not a measure of skill. Weigh them next to training, experience with the exact procedure, and the quality of the answers you get.