Have Parathyroid Surgery With Us
The Norman Parathyroid Center
at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery
Tampa, Florida
Have Parathyroid Surgery With Us
The Norman Parathyroid Center at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery in Tampa, Florida
Patients with hyperparathyroidism from around the globe travel to have parathyroid surgery with the Norman Parathyroid Center team at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery in Tampa, Florida. For more than 25 years, we have been the #1 center for parathyroid surgery in the world--more than 15 times any other hospital.
This page will detail everything you need to know about being our patient and scheduling your parathyroid surgery with us.
When you are ready, fill out the "new patient form" at the link below and we will be in touch with you shortly.
New Patient Form
Why choose us for your parathyroid surgery?
We are world famous for parathyroid surgery because of our near 100% cure rates via an operation that checks all four parathyroid glands through a 1-inch incision that typically takes between 20-30 minutes. Nearly 100% of our patients leave the hospital within 2-3 hours. We perform between 12 and 35 parathyroid operations per day.
We will do everything in one 4-hour visit to our hospital. You will have at least two expert parathyroid surgeons agreeing on the findings of your parathyroid glands, and we’ll send you and your doctors copies of all your records. Read below to see why about 3800 people per year travel to have surgery at the Norman Parathyroid Center at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery.
Spend four hours with us and let us change your life!
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Unparalleled Surgical Experience
The Norman Parathyroid Center performs more parathyroid operations every week than most major U.S. universities and hospitals perform in a year. That’s more parathyroid operations than the top 15 US universities combined, typically 75 per week or 3800 per year. With the experience of more than 65,000 parathyroid operations, we have cure rates over 99% during an operation that evaluates all four glands that typically lasts 30 minutes or less. The reason for this very high degree of specialization is that Dr Norman is recognized as the “father” of modern parathyroid surgery through the development of minimally invasive parathyroid surgery in the mid 1990's. Combined, our surgeons have about 147 years of parathyroid surgery experience ranging from 6 to 31 years.
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World-Renowned Surgeons
With more than 100 times the parathyroid surgery volume than most other hospitals, we are recognized world-wide as THE place to go for parathyroid surgery to get a "cure without a complication". Our surgeons perform 75% of the parathyroid operations in Florida, yet nearly 60% of our patients live outside the state of Florida. More people in Texas, California, New York, Georgia, (and 20 other states) have surgery in Tampa than they do at any hospital in their home state. More Canadians have surgery in Tampa than any hospital in Canada. We average 45 or more patients from outside of Florida every week. In an average year we will perform parathyroid surgery on patients from more than 40 countries.*
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Highest Cure Rate Parathyroid Operations
Our operations are unique to parathyroid surgery performed almost anywhere else in the world in that we 1) examine all four parathyroid glands in nearly all cases, 2) determine how active each parathyroid gland is during the operation so that normal glands are not removed and all hyperfunctioning glands are appropriately removed, 3) compare each parathyroid gland to the others prior to removal to account for variability seen in each patient, 4) have at least two extremely experienced parathyroid surgeons in every operation who are required to agree on the findings, 5) evaluate the thyroid gland during every operation and address any issues, 6) complete the entire procedure in most patients in under 30 minutes, 7) do not require endotracheal anesthesia in over 95%, and 8) allow nearly all patients to leave the hospital within 2 hours.
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Parathyroid Surgery "Dream Team"
The eight parathyroid surgeons at the Norman Parathyroid Center have more experience with parathyroid disease and parathyroid surgery than anyone else—by far. All of our surgeons are fellowship trained in endocrine surgery and have dedicated their surgical careers to one disease: hyperparathyroidism. All trained at the best surgical centers before coming to Tampa to learn the 4-gland mini-operation under Dr Norman. Seven of our 8 parathyroid surgeons were the leaders or chief of endocrine surgery at a major US University (e.g., Harvard, Yale, Cleveland Clinic, USF, MD Anderson, Princeton) before they joined our team. All are members of all the most important societies and have been chosen as "top doctors" and "top surgeons" numerous times. Our surgeons have more than 10,000 5-star ratings online.
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Sole Focus: Parathyroid Surgery
Our parathyroid surgeons don't do gallbladder surgery, breast biopsies, hernia surgery, or put tubes in kid's ears. Our entire careers have been dedicated to perfecting parathyroid surgery... its all we do. We even have two experts in every operation to assure you have the best outcome. No other surgeons go through the steps we take to attain the highest cure rates possible and the lowest possible chance of a non-perfect outcome. Treating patients like a member of our own family is always our number 1 goal, and our promise to you.
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Dedicated Endocrine Surgery Hospital
One of the most important factors that sets us apart from all other surgeons is that we operate in a hospital that was designed for parathyroid surgery. The Hospital for Endocrine Surgery opened in Tampa, Florida in January 2022. This specialized hospital treats only parathyroid, thyroid and adrenal patients, meaning you will benefit from an extremely focused care team including anesthesia and nursing staff that are dedicated to curing the disease you have. A dedicated endocrine surgery hospital means you have much less chance of being exposed to contagious patients or the nasty bacteria that are often prevalent in large hospitals. This brand-new, state-of-the-art hospital features the most advanced equipment, surgical techniques and highly experienced teams caring for you every step of the way. Within 6 months of opening, the hospital has a national ranking in the top 99.5% in every metric measured.
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Highest Published Parathyroid Surgeons
The surgeons at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery have published over 900 peer-reviewed articles in the medical literature, with Drs Norman, Clayman, and Carling having over 250 publications each. We have published the four largest journal articles on parathyroid disease ever, with prospective trials of 5,000, 10,000, 16,000 and most recently 20,000 patients. Our surgeons present regularly at the largest national and international endocrine meetings and have been executives in the biggest endocrine societies. Four of our surgeons are currently on the editorial board or review board of more than a dozen medical journals. We have published THE textbook for residents on how to perform head/neck, thyroid, and parathyroid surgery. In late 2022 we are publishing the definative textbook on x-rays and scans for parathyroid surgery. We publish in major medical journals every few months and have published over 150 YouTube videos.
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Peace of Mind
When faced with an operation that can have very serious complications, patients tell us they have peace of mind when they decide to come here. Knowing that they will have the most experienced parathyroid surgeons in the world operating on them as a team, within a brand-new specialty hospital, provides a sense of calm reassurance. And they sleep well knowing they made the right decision. We provide a level of expertise that is not available anywhere else in the world, and that gives our patients peace of mind.
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America's Top Thyroid Surgeons Too!
About 25% of patients needing parathyroid surgery have something going on with their thyroid, like a thyroid nodule that needs evaluated, biopsied, or removed. The Hospital for Endocrine Surgery is also home to the Clayman Thyroid Center which is the highest volume thyroid center in the US. This dream team of thyroid surgeons are in operating rooms across the hall in this dedicated endocrine surgery hospital. Should you have a thyroid cancer issue, we have the world's most respected thyroid surgeons at our disposal to assure you have the best possible outcome. We typically take care of any thyroid problems at one operation should that be necessary.
What is the step-by-step process to becoming a patient?
It usually takes 2 weeks from filling out a form to having your parathyroid operation with the world’s most experienced and best parathyroid surgeons.
Step 1: Complete New Patient Form
This secure form will ask you questions about your health, your doctors and more. Just fill it out and hit the 'submit' button. Our insurance experts will know how much (if anything) you will have to pay out of pocket for the operation. Note that most health plans do not require a referral for parathyroid surgery. We perform nearly 10% of all Medicare parathyroid operations in the US* — more than 20 times any other hospital. Once you fill out the form, our Patient Care Coordinator will email you with next steps.
Step 2: Medical Records
Your Patient Coordinator’s role is to gather your medical records to complete your patient chart. She will be requesting your medical records for anything related to Parathyroid disease including your Calcium and PTH bloodwork, Office Notes and Bone Scans. If you have any of these records, you may share them in a PDF format directly with your patient coordinator. Watch for your coordinators “Welcome Email” so you know where to send your email.
Step 3: Connect With Patient Care Coordinator
Your coordinator is working as quickly as possible to gather and review your medical records. She is preparing your patient chart for one of our surgeons to review. Please feel free to call or email her with any questions or concerns you may have. She will provide you updates and notify you when your chart is complete and ready to schedule your consultation appointment. She will also need a copy of your Insurance Card, so please make sure you send it to her. Our Insurance Team will email you directly about your benefits, so be on the lookout for those details.
Step 4: Consult With a Surgeon
After we review your medical records in detail, you will have a second opinion consultation with one of our surgeons. You can elect to do this in person in Tampa where your insurance will cover all costs, or, for most patients living a long distance, we have an option to pay for a second opinion consult via phone so you only have to make one trip to Tampa. During this consultation, they will discuss your potential diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism and answer any questions you may have. Write down all the questions you have ahead of time so you are sure to get all the information you need!
Step 5:Schedule Your Parathyroid Surgery
If a parathyroid operation is in your best interest, you schedule your visit to Tampa and pick a day for your scan and operation — we do everything in one day! We will provide you with a custom 5-Star-Rated app for your phone that will be your best friend during this process -- telling you everything you ever wanted to know about your upcoming operation and what to do afterwards. If you stay at one of our
4 partner hotels, you won’t need a rental car – they will provide all transportation for you. If you are traveling by car you can go home after the operation. If you are traveling by plane you can fly home the next morning.
What will parathyroid surgery cost me?
There are two primary fee categories to consider which are detailed below
1) A Consultation With an Expert Surgeon
During your "Second Opinion Consultation" one of our world-expert parathyroid surgeons will speak with you after a thorough review of your clinical records. Your surgeon will discuss your medical condition with you and answer any questions you may have. You (and your doctors) will receive a very nice 6-10 page PDF of your consult which includes links for educational materials.
You may opt to come into the office for an in-person consultation, which is covered by almost all insurances.
Second opinion consultations via phone are not covered by any insurance company other than Medicare.
Electing for a second opinion consultation via phone means you will be responsible for the cost, which is:
- First-time parathyroid operation: $750
- Re-operative parathyroid operation (previous parathyroid or thyroid surgery): $1,250
2) The Parathyroid Operation Itself
We are in-network for most major health plans (and many minor ones). This means the operation itself will be covered by almost all insurance companies.
Parathyroid Surgery FAQs
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Do you take my insurance?
We take all major insurance plans and most minor insurance plans. We are preferred providers for the Blues, United, Cigna, Aetna, and dozens of others. We work with insurance companies from other states every day. We take Medicare and perform more than 10 times more Medicare operations than any other hospital*. Medicare will pay for all consults and the operation. Our insurance specialists will tell you prior to your operation how much your deductibles are and any other potential costs.
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Will I need a rental car in Tampa?
If you stay at one of our
4 partner hotels, you will not need a rental car. They will provide transportation to and from the airport, and they will take you to the hospital and pick you up in the very nice “Hospital for Endocrine Surgery Sprinter Van”. The Hospital for Endocrine Surgery is only 4 miles from the Tampa International Airport and the hotels are adjacent to the airport too. Our hotels are the highest rated in Tampa Bay on Trip Advisor. Stay in our
partner hotels and don’t worry about a rental car.
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What type of anesthesia is used?
We use a "light" general anesthesia, but we use much less and don’t use an endotracheal breathing tube in over 90% of our cases (not intubated). Because our operations are predictably quick, and because our anesthesia team has been with us for many years, we use very quick acting anesthesia drugs much like you get for a colonoscopy. This has significant benefits because it is short acting allowing you to leave the hospital quickly feeling good.
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How quickly can you get me in for surgery?
We perform about 75 parathyroid operations every week, Monday through Thursday so getting you on our schedule is easy—the slow part is almost always getting your records to us. Our goal is to provide every patient with a consultation within 48 hours of all of their medical records being received at our office. The biggest delay is almost always getting your records—so help us out and we can get you in the operating room within a week or two.
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Will my thyroid nodules be addressed?
Yes! It is our policy to address all thyroid issues during the parathyroid operation. This is one of the reasons that our surgeons perform an ultrasound on your thyroid/parathyroid in the operating room as soon as you are asleep—to check for any thyroid nodules or concerns. If you know ahead of time that you have a thyroid nodule, our surgeons will discuss this with you during the consultation and help you understand the plan. Historically, we remove a thyroid nodule (or some thyroid growth) in 23% of our patients to make sure that everything that needs address, is addressed. Should a thyroid cancer be found, the world's most experienced thyroid surgeons at the Clayman Thyroid Center are across the hall from us at this amazing Hospital for Endocrine Surgery to consult and help at any time.
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How long will I be in the hospital?
Almost all parathyroid patients leave the hospital about 2 hours after their operation. The total time you spend at the hospital will be between 4 and 5 hours, spent getting ready, getting a sestamibi scan, meeting your surgeon(s), meeting your anesthesia team, having the operation, and time in the recovery room. Fewer than 1 in 800 patients will spend the night with us—but its here if you need it.
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Can I travel alone?
Yes, you can come have parathyroid surgery with us by yourself. Most people travel with a family member or a friend—and they can be with you for most of the pre-op and post-op time. But yes, we have taken care of well over 1000 people who have come for surgery by themselves. We understand how to do this and will take great care of you.
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Can my family stay at the hospital while I am in surgery?
Yes! The Hospital for Endocrine Surgery does not have a medical ward so there are no COVID patients. Your family is welcome to come and can be with you before and after the operation. The cafeteria is open to them for free food and we even have private offices for them to work if they need quiet. There is a lot about this in our Parathyroid Surgery Guide app that you will download on your phone.
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Who will be my surgeon?
We have the most experienced parathyorid surgeons in the world, and every parathyroid operation has at least 2 surgeons participating and agreeing on the findings prior to your operation being completed. There are a minimum of 3 parathyroid surgeons and 3 other endocrine surgeons operating every day at the Hospital for Endocine Surgery, and often as many as 6 parathyroid surgeons operating at the same time. You will typically (but not always) be operated on by the surgeon who you consulted with you, but he will always have one or two other surgeons operating with him. You will chat with your surgeons in the morning before your operation. After our first 10,000 parathyroid operations, we found that working as teams provides the best cure rates and the lowest chance of a poor outcome--which is why you will have more than one surgeon. Our least experienced parathyroid surgeon has more than 6 years of daily parathyroid experience--higher numbers and more experience than you can find at almost any institution in the world. Dr Norman is in the operating room several days per week along with the other surgeons.
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Where should I stay near the hospital?
We have
4 partner hotels that have taken care of more than 10,000 of our patients. They are adjacent to the airport and these hotels will provide all the transportation you need. You don’t need a rental car if you stay in one of our partner hotels. The newest Trip Advisor (2022) has our hotels rated the number 1 hotel in Tampa Bay out of 293 rated hotels.
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When can I go home after parathyroid surgery?
We've taken care of tens of thousands of patients who have left the hospital within 1-3 hours after parathyroid surgery. You don't need to worry. You will have every parathyroid surgeon's personal cell number--and one of them will call you the evening of surgery to check on you. If you came by car, you can plan to be driven (by somebody else) home when you leave the hospital. Some folks elect to stay another night at the hotel, but most head on home. If you came by airplane, then you can plan on flying home the morning after surgery. Tens of thousands of our patients have done this. This includes folks who flew in from other countries. There is more about this in our Parathyroid Surgery Guide App that all of our patients get.
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Do I need a referral to schedule my surgeon consult?
You do not need a referral to schedule a consult with us. Medicare does not require any referral. We are in-network for all major insurers. If you have an HMO, you will need a referral for surgery. Our office will help you figure this out.
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Will I have surgery residents and fellows operating on me?
No. Although many universities have medical students, residents and fellows learning how to perform parathyoid surgery, we don't do that. All of our surgeons worked at a teaching university for many years -- 5 of them were the head of the endocrine teaching program at their university before joining our team at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery. But here we treat our patients just like we want treated -- and that means you get expert surgeons only, not somebody learning how to perform parathyroid surgery. All our patients have at least 2 of the most experienced surgeons in the world in your operation agreeing on the findings--not one surgeon, and zero residents or fellows.
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Do you operate at Tampa General Hospital anymore?
No, not at all. Although Tampa General Hospital continues to advertise the reputation we built there for 25 years, don't be confused -- we do not operate at TGH any more. We left and took the entire "Thyroid and Parathyroid Institute" with us in 2019 and moved the best operating room staff and the top 13 surgeons to the brand new Hospital for Endocrine Surgery which is closer to the Tampa airport. There are two general surgeons at Tampa General that perform parathyroid surgery at a surgery center (not in a hospital) 7.5 miles away from the TGH hospital. They are not endocrine fellowship trained. Moving our Thyroid and Parathyroid Institute to the brand new Hospital for Endocrine Surgery was great for us and for you.
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Tell me about your Parathyroid Surgery Guide App
Once you are scheduled for an operation you will get a text message from our office for you to download the "Parathyroid Surgery Guide App" in the app store. This is different from the "CalciumPro" app that many of you already are using to track and graph your calcium and vitamin D. You can down load the "Surgery Guide App" now, but once you get scheduled you will have a log-on and the app will be customized for you with your day of surgery, arrival time, text message notifications, etc. This app has every question you could ever ask about parathyroid surgery, our new hospital, and questions about your post-op care. The app is 5-star rated and is loved by our patients. The more you use it, the easier the entire experience will become and the happier you will be! It is available in app store for anybody: Search: Parathyroid Surgery Guide.
Ready to schedule your consultation with one of our parathyroid surgeons?
The first step in the process of becoming a patient is filling out your new patient form. When the form is completed, you will get an email from your patient coordinator within 1-2 business days to set up your second opinion consultation. During this consultation, which can be over the phone or in-person at our Tampa office, you and your surgeon will discuss the details of your case.
Step One: New Patient Form
We operate on people from all over the world every day. Some of them are your neighbors!
Explore Patient Map
We operate on people from all over the world every day. Some of them are your neighbors!
Explore Patient Map
*Statistics are from CMS data published annually by the US government.
