How do you choose your doctor?

[sunzt]

http://www.enotalone.com/article/4994.html

I have a PPO, not married, no kids, and am currently in good health with no past problems. I didn't know choosing a doctor could be this in-depth, but the author has good points and advice on choosing doctors. I would suggest others who are doctor shopping to check out the article.

From the last paragraph:

So how do you choose a good doctor? Here is a list of tips I would suggest you follow.

1. Call the physician's office. First, you'll see if the staff picks up the phones in a timely manner, and you'll find out if they are attentive and cordial. The quality of the doctor's staff is often a reflection of the doctor. You can ask the staff where the doctor trained in residency, went to school, and whether he is board certified. Check out the medical school rankings. You can also find out which hospital he admits to. If you're not happy with the staff's response, then you should go on to the next office.

2. Meet and talk to the doctor. Just because you made a trip to the doctor's office or a doctor came to see you at the hospital doesn't mean you're stuck with him. If you're unhappy with his demeanor or mannerisms, if he is unkempt, or if you just don't feel comfortable, then either go see or ask for another doctor. If the office is dirty, walk out before meeting the doctor.

3. Disregard all advertisements.

4. Do not call 800 numbers at the local hospital in your search for a doctor.

5. If you end up in a hospital where your physician does not work, do not automatically accept the physician assigned to you. Have the staff call your doctor and see if he can suggest someone.

6. Only accept someone else's advice about their physician if you feel your friend has done his or her homework.

7. When your doctor sends you to a specialist, always ask him for two different recommendations. Unless you have the greatest trust in your doctor, avoid doctors who rent space from him. Also, avoid the doctor's spouse or a relative of the doctor. (I would ask him if you think that might be the case.)

8. Never wait in an office for more than an hour. You shouldn't feel like you're part of a herd. Having to wait for hours often means your doctor is too cheap to get another partner.

9. Make sure the physician accepts your insurance. Why pay for a service if there is an excellent physician who is in your HMO or insurance plan?

10. If you have no insurance or only have Medicaid, go to a clinic at a university medical center.

 

[imported_Devine]

Im in the military, we generally have no choice in our doc's

 

[Pliablemoose]

I have a better way for you...

Ignore all that crap, and ask your doctor "If I had end stage pancreatic cancer would you prescribe me enough pain medicine to overdose with?"

If they say yes, you've found your doctor.

 

[LS21]

thing is, when you want to buy a 200$ digital camera, there are hundreds of websites with thousands of reviews for that product

when you choose a doctor for thousands of dollars worth of procedures dont to your body, there are no such processes or mechanisms for review. its terrible

since ive moved a lot, ive seen many dentists and optometrists... some great, some good, some terrible.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Ask friends and coworkers for their recommendations.

I did and been happy with my PCP for the last ten years.

 

[Special K]

whether he is board certified

LOL, I would hope anyone claiming to be a medical doctor with their own practice is board certified.

 

[olds]

Whichever one is closest to me and takes my insurance.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: Devine
Im in the military, we generally have no choice in our doc's

Trust me, it's more trouble than it's worth. I miss military medical, especially on the ship.

 

[preCRT]

Originally posted by: Special K

whether he is board certified

LOL, I would hope anyone claiming to be a medical doctor with their own practice is board certified.

Not all are, some are only board eligible. If they didn't or couldn't pass their boards, you don't want them.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Special K

whether he is board certified

LOL, I would hope anyone claiming to be a medical doctor with their own practice is board certified.

You don't need to be board certified to be a medical doctor.

Board certification is an additional certification for medical specialties.

 

[preCRT]

I'd also check with your state medical licensing board to see if the doc has had to pay any malpractice awards or fines.

You can check here:
http://www.docboard.org/docfinder.html

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: Special K

whether he is board certified

LOL, I would hope anyone claiming to be a medical doctor with their own practice is board certified.

You don't need to be board certified to be a medical doctor.

Board certification is an additional certification for medical specialties.

So having a license to practice medicine isn't the same as being board certified?

 

[Slew Foot]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: Special K

whether he is board certified

LOL, I would hope anyone claiming to be a medical doctor with their own practice is board certified.

You don't need to be board certified to be a medical doctor.

Board certification is an additional certification for medical specialties.

So having a license to practice medicine isn't the same as being board certified?

Nope, you get your medical license after you pass the 3 step licensing exam, usually after one year of internship after medical school. Then after you complete your residency training, you take the boards for your specialty to become "board certified". You do not need to be board certified to practice medicine, though most groups wont hire people who arent.

 

[KaOTiK]

I pick the ones with the hot nurses

 

[blinky8225]

I really doubt the school that they went to makes that much of a difference. In fact, a lot of the top medical schools focus more on research instead of patient care.

 

[imported_Imp]

I had to choose a 'podiatrist (not officially, but a foot person)', an oral surgeon and a new optometrist in the past 2 months. First one, I went with someone close by; second, I went with a recommendation from my dentist, but based it on location; third, I found one with a website that looked informed. If and when I need a new doctor, I'll probably find someone close by.

 

[Throckmorton]

My insurance company chooses my doctor. John McCain calls that "freedom of choice" or something.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: blinky8225
I really doubt the school that they went to makes that much of a difference. In fact, a lot of the top medical schools focus more on research instead of patient care.

Medicine is not a 'hard' thing to do. Being good at it is. With research comes seeing many things you normally wouldn't.

Patient care is more or less if one is an asshole or not.

The sad part is most people think they already have the best doctor (or veternarian)...it doesn't take much when you see 100's of people a day sometimes mostly with the same problems to become 'good' at that.

The difference comes from when the doc sees something they aren't used to seeing and learned enough to ask themselves the proper questions to follow the proper procedures.

I came from a Biology background along with family in the medical profession. I tend to interview my docs a bit if I don't know them and see how they respond to certain questions.

I don't tend to go in to the doctor unless something is majorly wrong...when that happens I don't want him to just think I need a couple tylenol and a script for amoxicillin and to call him back in a week.

 

[MagicConch]

Originally posted by: blinky8225
I really doubt the school that they went to makes that much of a difference. In fact, a lot of the top medical schools focus more on research instead of patient care.

imo residency/fellowship makes a bigger difference re: patient care skill. however, from my experience through pre-med, medical school, residency, etc, the people who would be the best physicians are weeded out very early in favor of those who simply are in it for the steady $ w/ no other aspirations or to please their parents. It was very depressing to work amongst them.

 

[alkemyst]

one has to be a moron to go into medicine of all things just because it's what their parents want. Talk about having the wrong guy on your side when you need them.

How were the good doctors weeded out for those just looking for money or mommy?

 

[grohl]

My advice would be: call the hospital for a recommendation or ask a nurse who works there.

They see and work with all doctors and always know who the best ones are. If you need a cardiologist, call the telemetry floor or the Cardiac ICU. If you need an OB, call Labor and Delivery.

 

[Foxery]

Originally posted by: sunzt
10. If you have no insurance or only have Medicaid, go to a clinic at a university medical center.

Er, can you do that without being a student there? How does that work?

I also fall into this "single, healthy, and uninsured" category, but most people look at me like I'm crazy when I say I haven't even had regular checkups in a while.

 

[HappyPuppy]

If you go to a doctor with a splitting headache and he prescribes a suppository, you know you have found a good one because he realizes your problem is that you have your head up your ass.

 

[MagicConch]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
one has to be a moron to go into medicine of all things just because it's what their parents want. Talk about having the wrong guy on your side when you need them.

How were the good doctors weeded out for those just looking for money or mommy?

Well, for one, and this is just my exp, often the people who decide who gets into med school are not doctors themselves or have ever seen a patient. This is where most of the best people are removed imo. This is b/c they are chosen not for whether they care about people, whether they are creative problem solvers or good at analyzing issues, etc but for their performance in classes that often very little to do with any of the skills they will actually use as a clinical physician (for example organic chemistry) Thus they are chosen b/c they are good students and hard-workers, not b/c they actually would be good physicians. This is becoming more and more common and the quality of physicians is dropping consistently as a result. Technology advances in medicine help to accommodate their growing lack of skills (for ex, we develop new diagnostic tests to accommodate their growing lack of ability to diagnosis patients effectively) They are also taught to accept things like the PDR as infallible even though they have no clue or even curiosity in how the researchers came to those conclusions re: those medications. I think some people outside the industry think these are people driven to helping people and work hard to make a difference. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are hard workers, but those who make it are not driven by that (and it's very obvious even the first day of orientation at medical school imo)

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: grohl
My advice would be: call the hospital for a recommendation or ask a nurse who works there.

They see and work with all doctors and always know who the best ones are. If you need a cardiologist, call the telemetry floor or the Cardiac ICU. If you need an OB, call Labor and Delivery.

You probably won't be able to get an answer. I'm not familiar with every hospital's policies, but at the ones I am familiar with, they're not allowed to do that.

If you're friends with a nurse (or married to one ), you can get the inside scoop. Otherwise, they're not going to say much.