JHMI opens cosmetic surgery division

If the leading hospital in South Africa, Park Lane, can auction off liposuction and breast enlargements at online auction houses and turn a strong profit, why shouldn't Johns Hopkins open a plastic surgery wing and potentially earn some of the money being poured into cosmetic surgery?

As first reported by Sandra Boodman for The Washington Post, six months ago, with little ado, the Johns Hopkins Cosmetic Surgery Center at Green Spring Station opened in the affluent Baltimore suburb of Lutherville, Md.

Opening a center focused on cosmetic surgery is a change of pace for Johns Hopkins.

In 2003, the hospital was named "best hospital" by US News and World Report. It scored in the top three in treating cancer, pediatrics and psychology and number one in gynecology, urology and ear, nose and throat disorders.

However, the high-ranking scores were based on the reputation of the hospital as a whole and its doctors. Each category that Hopkins scored well in had at least 30% of the top votes for the reputation of the hospital. Reputation is evidtently a key element when reporting rankings.

Shifting its focus due to a potential moneymaking opportunity is scary for the prospects of cutting-edge research.

Many health economists, doctors and patients alike feel that quality care will be sacrificed to meet the demands of elective surgery in the name of financial gain for the hospital.

However, the Mayo Clinic and UCLA Medical Center, numbers two and three respectively, on the US News and World Report list boast their own Cosmetic Surgery Centers. At UCLA they even offer free gifts to entice patients. They claim to have not seen a decline in their overall reputation in other areas of medicine. However, they do have lower reputation ranking than Johns Hopkins.

Thus, it is still a potential risk, Johns Hopkins Hospital is evidently willing to take its chances.

"In 2002, 6.6 million Americans underwent cosmetic surgery, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Nearly two-thirds of them were between ages 35 and 64, and many were youth-conscious baby boomers," quotes Boodman.

In style-concious countries throughtout Latin America it is customery among the wealthy to offer cosmetic surgery as birthday and graduation gifts.

"The popularity of television shows like "Extreme Makeover," an ABC reality show that features the radical transformations of ordinary people through extensive plastic surgery, and the FX cable drama "Nip/Tuck," about the exploits of two Miami surgeons, has made such operations seem more acceptable," says Boodman.

Many companies have created complete "wedding packages". This consists of organizing every detail of the wedding for the bride and groom including plastic surgery packages to give them their "ideal" look for their special day.

While it is too early to tell if the new cosmetic center will effect the overall reputation of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution, many are anxiously waiting to find out.