# How can I research a surgeon's track record?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-research-a-surgeons-track-record/793057>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 8, 2017, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-research-a-surgeons-track-record/793057 "2017-08-08T03:35:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-research-a-surgeons-track-record/793057/1 "2017-08-08T03:35:24Z")

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I have found a surgeon who communicates well, and who anecdotally has a good reputation. But good hands are a higher priority than social skills. Googling just takes me to anecdotal review sites that I think are fairly meaningless. Is there any way to find hard data on a surgeon’s track record - how many of each type of operation he has done; complication and infection rates compared to national averages?

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-research-a-surgeons-track-record/793057/2 "2017-08-08T12:41:28Z")

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It’s certainly not perfect, but [ProPublica](https://www.propublica.org/article/surgery-risks-patient-safety-surgeon-matters) has a [surgeon scorecard](http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/848050) [website](https://projects.propublica.org/surgeons/) that tracks complication rates and lists number of procedures performed.

I would not hesitate to ask a prospective surgeon for this information as well.