AreaCode707
Lifer
1. Look for rankings. Seattle Magazine prints a ranking of local specialists and GPs, for example. Other areas are likely to have something similar.
2. Call around and ask for referrals. If you get referred to the same person a few times, you likely found someone good.
3. Decide what's important to you and how you like to interact with your doctor. For instance, I am not into the mushy homeopathic crap past a certain point (recommending vitamins is ok; recommending random untested supplements is not). When I pick a doctor I want to know we're on the same page as far as our perspective on the medical science.
4. Interview the doctor the first time you go in. Ask a few questions and then decide if you want to ever go back.
I have a tendency to like doctors that were not American born but were American trained. For them to get out of college and make it into an American medical institution, especially where a language barrier may have been involved, shows a drive and intellect that sets them above their peers. I also tend to like their manner with patients better. American-born doctors are more touchy-feely, asking what I think and how I feel about my treatment.
While I have no problem speaking up about my opinion when there's something I can contribute (medication A or B as it relates to my lifestyle, maybe) I sure as heck didn't go to medical school and so when asked, "we're going to put you on oxymeditocileon, is that ok? What do you think?" I wonder why they're asking me. Non-American doctors tell me, "You need to be on ramicedirine because your blood pressure is low and if you don't then you are at risk of toxic octopus syndrome." Very fact based, which I like.
2. Call around and ask for referrals. If you get referred to the same person a few times, you likely found someone good.
3. Decide what's important to you and how you like to interact with your doctor. For instance, I am not into the mushy homeopathic crap past a certain point (recommending vitamins is ok; recommending random untested supplements is not). When I pick a doctor I want to know we're on the same page as far as our perspective on the medical science.
4. Interview the doctor the first time you go in. Ask a few questions and then decide if you want to ever go back.
I have a tendency to like doctors that were not American born but were American trained. For them to get out of college and make it into an American medical institution, especially where a language barrier may have been involved, shows a drive and intellect that sets them above their peers. I also tend to like their manner with patients better. American-born doctors are more touchy-feely, asking what I think and how I feel about my treatment.
While I have no problem speaking up about my opinion when there's something I can contribute (medication A or B as it relates to my lifestyle, maybe) I sure as heck didn't go to medical school and so when asked, "we're going to put you on oxymeditocileon, is that ok? What do you think?" I wonder why they're asking me. Non-American doctors tell me, "You need to be on ramicedirine because your blood pressure is low and if you don't then you are at risk of toxic octopus syndrome." Very fact based, which I like.
