For many patients scheduled for brain surgery, having their entire head shaved during prep so that proper incisions are made can be distressing and damaging to their self-esteem.
A little over a year ago, Ezequiel Goldschmidt, MD, a neurosurgeon at Hoag Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute and Hoag Family Cancer Institute in Newport Beach, Calif., moved to improve this aspect of the neurosurgery patient experience by starting what Hoag claims is a first-of-its-kind free-of-charge program: Styled for Surgery.
The day before surgery, Dr. Goldschmidt marks the incision site. Then the Hoag Family Cancer Institute’s Oncology Support Services team arranges the patient a consultation with a professional hairstylist “to plan a hairstyle that shows as much or little of the incision site as preferred,” says Hoag.
“Brain surgery can be incredibly personal and emotionally overwhelming,” says Dr. Goldschmidt. “This program is designed with the understanding that how a patient feels about themselves matters deeply to their healing. By preserving their hair as much as possible and involving them in the process, we’re helping patients maintain their sense of identity, dignity and confidence at a time when they need it most.”
Hoag recently shared a CBS News Los Angeles report about the program and a patient’s journey within it. It classifies Styled for Surgery as a “whole-person approach to care” and states, “Innovation in health care is not only about advancing surgical techniques. It is also about rethinking the patient experience.”
