We Welcome Out of Town Patients!
With Dr. Kay’s national and international reputation as a cosmetic surgeon of excellence, we welcome patients from all over the world! As such, we maintain a very flexible consultation/surgery/follow-up schedule to accommodate your travel requirements. The time you can expect to need to be in Tucson varies, depending on which procedure(s) you are having performed.
We recommend that you call our office to find out about the availability of specific dates for your consultation or procedure. For patients who are traveling from out of town to see Dr. Kay, our staff will make every effort to accommodate you.
Setting Up Your Consultation
Some patients are able to fly into Tucson for a face to face consultation and return at a later date for the procedure and others choose to have a phone consultation with Dr. Kay based on their detailed Confidential Request for Consultation documents.
Planning Your Surgical Visit
When planning for your surgery you also need to consider where you are going to stay and who will be taking care of you. You might choose to stay with friends or family in Tucson. Alternatively, you can select hotel accommodations near our office. If you do not have someone traveling with you for after care, please let us know so we can arrange for a caretaker.
A caretaker can assist you in driving you from the surgery location to the recovering location, driving you to your follow up doctor visits, preparing meals, shopping, and running errands such as prescription pick up. Additionally, your caretaker may help with wound dressing, personal hygiene, and toileting. However, perhaps one of the most essential services of a post-surgical caretaker is support and companionship for out of town patients.
Recovery for Out of Town Patients
You should allow sufficient time in Tucson for your recovery. Recovery time duration, of course, depends on the extent of surgery you have. In general, most patients are able to travel 3-7 days following surgery.
A well planned recovery can increase your safety, comfort, peace of mind and speed of healing. We will review all expectations and highlight any unusual post surgery recovery conditions and possible complications that might arise. As with any surgery, some swelling, discomfort and bruising is expected. Your specific procedure and individual circumstances will determine what you can expect from your successful recovery.
Here are some general timelines when figuring out your minimum stay with us, please keep in mind that these can change depending your own personal healing process:
It is indeed safe to fly within 24-48 hours of a surgical procedure. Do keep in mind that you will need assistance with luggage, as you must avoid lifting heavy objects or other activities requiring similar exertion.
Useful Information for Out of Town Patients
It’s no accident that the Tucson region is home to more than a million residents and host to more than 7 million visitors a year. There’s something magical about this place where the Santa Cruz and Rillito Rivers converge, where five mountain ranges form a protected valley, and where majestic saguaros stand guard on the desert floor while aspen and pine whisper high above them on the mountain peaks.
Boasting an average 350 sunny days a year and warm dry air, Tucson’s climate is ideal for year-round outdoor recreation, with winter temperatures reaching average highs of 64-75°F. Yes, summer days are often hot with low humidity (you’ve heard it before, “it’s a dry heat!”), while we enjoy cool mornings and evenings and long twilights throughout summer.
More Information
Once you have spoken to the doctor, we can either mail, email or fax out a package specially made for you with all important information including a price quote. The package will also include the list of the necessary pre-op medical clearances and labs which can be done by your own doctor or lab in your area.
Dr. Kay prefers that patients arrive at least one day prior to surgery. This will allow him and our staff to meet with you in person and go over any questions or concerns that you may have.