Several weeks ago, I asked Dr. Karl Hiatt if he could spare 15 to 20 minutes of his time to discuss some of the highlights of his practice and procedures at Turning Pointe Surgery Center.
Dr. Hiatt, a surgeon who chose to follow in his father’s footsteps, has been at his practice for “30 something years,” as he describes.
But, like everyone, he was busy — extremely busy. We began our pre-interview process with a few questions I emailed to him at his office and we agreed we would meet to further discuss his responses a week or so afterward, when both of our schedules allowed.
And then the world changed. Suddenly, those questions sent through email seemed extremely insignificant. When we talked on the phone, the 15 minutes I asked for, turned into an hour. Our conversation no longer focused on the types of personal and esthetic procedures his patients requested, or the expectations he strived to meet for his patients.
His seven years of surgical training, required to minimize the frequency and severity of complications in the operating room, were merely shadowed reflections in conversation compared to his concerns of the wellness of his staff, the community, the nation, and the world moving forward.
Suddenly, I was mesmerized to learn how the Duke medical student graduate had followed up his local internship and residency in Arizona to Chapel Hill, N.C. for plastic surgery training several decades ago. He then returned to the southwestern desert — the place he has always considered home — Mesa, Ariz. His family and his profession would remain deeply rooted in Arizona.
Dr. Hiatt recollected his continued aptitude for helping his patients realize their personal beauty, despite their desires for reconstructive or cosmetic surgeries. He is most admired by his patients for his honesty, professionalism, and his ability to meet and exceed the expectations of his patients seeking both surgical and non-surgical enhancement procedures.
We discussed the benefits of the professional relationships he’s gained with his patients and staff, and the importance of maintaining the family structure of his office, despite what is going on in the outside world. His staff, he added, is comprised of family and adopted family, who has been part of his practice for many years. The dynamic team works together and plays together — even sharing vacations. “We truly get along and care for each other,” said Dr. Hiatt.
Outside the office, Dr. Hiatt volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and has helped build homes for underprivileged families in Chile and Mexico. In the future, he plans a medical mission to Guatemala to perform reconstructive surgeries for the people in need, due to their economic limitations.
I asked Dr. Hiatt about his superpower, should he be gifted one. He would be delighted to have the ability several of his children embrace — the ability to talk with someone and sincerely make them feel at ease. He would like to be able to break down communication barriers and make people feel comfortable in every situation.
Dr. Hiatt and his wife, Diana, have six grown children and 10 grandchildren. His greatest gift, he added, was the joy his grandchildren bring to his life. “They are truly the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” he said.
His positive attitude and desire to serve others remains solid and intact in this time of uncertainty, encouraging Dr. Hiatt’s patients, his family, and his plan to serve others to continue to progress forward as we push through the doubt in the days ahead.
If you are considering a consultation for reconstructive surgery, please visit Turning Pointe Surgical Center’s website at drhiatt.com.