If the surgeon cannot communicate well regarding pre-op risk factors and care and post-op care and red flags for complications, he or she is not a very good clinician IMO and patient outcomes will be poorer. Obviously, their time is valuable, but that’s the bare minimum.

I’m glad that more clinicians, like Atul Gawande, are talking about the fact that this doesn’t have to be the status quo.

Even with routine oral surgery, a lot can go wrong once you’re discharged… I certainly wouldn’t want someone like you’re describing to perform an oncology-related surgery on me.