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Your doctor: 1. Did he/she graduate at the top of his/her class, or cheat his/her way through medical school? 2. Is your doctor in the profession because he/she cares about people, or because he/she wanted a lucrative lifestyle? 3. Does he/she keep up with the latest findings or is he/she diagnosing you based on the general thinking of 10 years ago (or 1 or 2 years, for that matter)?
Other than talking with as many people as you know, is there any other way of knowing? After going through treatment for cancer, I've just recently "fired" two of my doctors. One of them told me for over a year that I should not be concerned about the blood tests that showed I might have an issue that needed further investigation. Once I did my own research, I realized he had not bothered to keep up with the latest findings related to my issues. Another doctor I was referred to refused to answer simple questions about surgery that he wanted to perform on me. Not only that, he was very rude. When I first went to see him, I was sitting in the exam room and had never met the guy. When he came into the room and closed the door, he walked right past me without even glancing at me, went over and sat at a desk with his back to me and began asking questions. Also, by the time I was referred to him, I had read a dozen books on issues related to my cancer, and his ego couldn't handle my "inquisitive nature," as he called it.
So...if anyone has a good method of how to find a qualified physician who might even care what happens to you, please share your thoughts.
First of all,,,doctors who work within a University setting or a teaching setting often are a little more up on current practices. GENERALLY SPEAKING... They are more into writing journal articals and research projects...your guys that are in private practice have no drive to research or write articals on subjects. Plus when you go to a University/medical center you often have more diverse treatment options. Alot of Universities have government funding for top of the line medical equipment...
Google your doctors name. My hubby is a physician and he is a published doctor. He is really into research and loves to be on top of things. When I google his name, all of his accomplishments come up... I like to see a doctor on national committies, has his name on a lot of research and has some involvement in articals...it shows me he is interested in keeping his skills up to par...
I never used to go to the doctor unless I was sick...Now I go yearly for a physical...and I interview them...I usually get a 'vibe' if I like them or not... I tend to like younger ones with an open mind...I just ask a ton of questions...Like how they handle emergencies during their off hours...and can you get into see them on the same day your feeling bad...
This is just my opinion from my personal experience... I am not trying to offed any private practice docs...
Oh and where they ranked in med school is really irrelevant...it is what and where they did a residency that matters most.
There are a few things you can do, just like Danielle mentioned.
First is to see if you can search their license online. Our state (PA) has a searchable licensed professionals database where you can see if they had any disciplinary actions on their license.
I do check the doc's med school and/or place of residency if available. I've had a couple of bad experiences with docs who have done their schooling offshore, but that is just anecdotal of course. If the doc is in a higher subspeciality such as gynecologic oncology, it would also be great to know where they did any specialized fellowships or studies.
As Danielle mentioned, if you are going to see a new doc, you can interview them (if you want to go in depth, make sure you state this when making the appointment so they can allow enough time for you). Write or type a list of questions for your visits and see if and how they answer them. Are they talking to you with one hand on the door just itching to get out of the room, or are they willing to sit and address all of your concerns?
I'm not a big fan of most doctors but we need them sometimes so when I moved to Texas, I asked a few people who there doctor was and what he/she was like.
I'm into vitamins and herbs so when I went to this particular doctor to have cholestoral checked, I asked him some questions about different things, to see how he would answer. If he did not have the answer, he told me he would get the answer to my question and let me know. He did.
I agree with the above posters, that the vibe you feel with the doctor is important, along if he/she will answer your questions, not be rude, etc.
If a doctor is more interested in patting you on the back, prescribing unnecessary drugs and getting you out of the office as fast as he/she can, find someone else.
Danielle, Karen_s and songinthewind7...thanks for your good points. And...I agree, there probably isn't that much of a relationship between med-school grades and whether or not one is a "good" doctor. Perhaps this is happening everywhere with the graying of our nation, but...here in Albuquerque, there seems to be not enough good physicians to go around. My wife and I have both experienced long waits for appointments. We've had few experiences where the doctor is not itching to get out of the room because he has a patient in every examining room and is hurrying from one to the other. Interesting...songinthewind7...we're considering moving to region between Austin and Fredericksburg...and it sounds like you're headed our way!
Danielle, Karen_s and songinthewind7...thanks for your good points. And...I agree, there probably isn't that much of a relationship between med-school grades and whether or not one is a "good" doctor. Perhaps this is happening everywhere with the graying of our nation, but...here in Albuquerque, there seems to be not enough good physicians to go around. My wife and I have both experienced long waits for appointments. We've had few experiences where the doctor is not itching to get out of the room because he has a patient in every examining room and is hurrying from one to the other. Interesting...songinthewind7...we're considering moving to region between Austin and Fredericksburg...and it sounds like you're headed our way!
If you can, when you make an appt with your doctor, be the first patient of the day or within the first 3. The later in the day the appt, the more you will have to wait from backups during the day, longer times with patients, and emergencies.
I always make sure im one of the first 2 patients of the day, preferably the first. The longest ive waited in the waiting area is 7 minutes. The old way of getting my appt later in the day would have me waiting almost 2 hours or more in the waiting area.
Yes,,,great point for not waiting to see your doctor..Make your appts. either first one in the morning or the first one after their lunch break. That way your not feeling the impact of delays from all the other patients.
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