Guilford Plastic Surgeon Named Top Doc by CT Magazine

Guilford Plastic Surgeon Dr. Gary Price is no stranger to earning high accolades for his work. He's been named a top plastic surgeon in the state by US News and World Report. He sits on numerous boards with other esteemed colleagues, navigating the ever changing world of health care. Now, he's celebrating his most recent achievement of being named a Top Doc by Connecticut Magazine for the third year in a row.     

"It's a great honor to be recognized in my field by my peers,"  Dr. Price said in a press release in response to the achievement. "I'm very grateful to those who nominated me, as well as those who chose me through the selection process."  

Guilford Patch sat down with the plastic surgeon to talk about his accomplishments, and the first words out of his mouth were to thank the staff and team he works with.  

"The reason for many of those awards, is due so much in part to my staff," said Dr. Price, who has about 12 staffers on his team in Guilford. "It is such a reflection of their hard work. They are a big reason why our patients respond so well and have a great experience."  

That customer experience, Dr. Price says, is his biggest priorities, and one of the things he loves most about his work. To this day, Dr. Price calls every patient the night of their surgery to touch base with them and see how they are feeling.

"Developing a strong, trusting relationship with a patient is the first vital step towards our work together," Dr. Price explained. "When patients first come in, I always ask 'what brought you in today.' It's a plastic surgeons way of asking 'what hurts.' I want to find out what's causing the issue, and then I want to make sure to explain their choices and options for treatment. I help them to understand what a realistic outcome might look like."  

To aid him in working with clients, Dr. Price remains on the cutting edge of technology in the field.  

"One of our newest technologies is 3D imaging, which is extremely useful in many surgeries since it can generate a before and after option," Dr. Price shared. "It's the best way for us to see if we're talking about the same thing. The technology has only been available for about a year and a half now, and we got it into our offices as soon as it came out. We were also one of the first offices, back when we first opened our Guilford location in 1987, to do computer imaging."  

Originally, Dr. Price went to medical school at Penn State College of Medicine to be a Family Doctor. But, when it came time to do his thesis, which focused on healing and Vitamin C, he walked into a plastic surgery lab and witnessed a cleft lip repair. He ended up staying there for four years.  

"I couldn't imagine doing anything else," Dr. Price said.  

He finished his training at Yale in 1985, and opened his own practice in New Haven, then a Guilford office in 1987. He later earned an MBA at the Yale School of Management.

In addition to running his Guilford practice, Dr. Price is also the former president of the Connecticut State Medical Society, the Connecticut Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and the New England Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. He also serves on the board of directors of The Physicians Foundation.

Many of the boards fund research and scholarly articles, donating funds to organizations such as Health Leads in Boston or rural clinics in Mississippi. One project Dr. Price was involved in at the Physicians Foundation included a survey of doctors about their working environment.  

"That survey is a great way to take the pulse of nations’ physicians, to see the impact that the recession and health care reform has on a doctor's working environment," Dr. Price explained.  

As for his own work, Dr. Price plans to stay in Guilford and possibly expand his business with other services and doctors.  

"I look forward to incorporating new technologies that are effective," Dr. Price said. "There are a lot of challenges to keep us busy in the future with health care reform, and we will remain prepared."  

Dr. Price remains focused on his day-to-day work, and continues to be appreciative of his accomplishments.  

"To me there is nothing better than a happy patient; that’s what I look forward to,” Dr. Price concluded. "We want a patient to think they couldn’t have gotten better care anywhere else. Hearing that, that’s when I’m the happiest."