Choosing the Right Doctor for Your Medical Care

Whether you need to make a change in your primary care doctor, or if you find you need a specialist to take care of specific symptoms, you'll want to follow these guidelines to choose the right doctor for your medical care.

Assess Your Doctor / Practitioner Needs

Are you in need of a new primary care doctor? If so, it's most important to find one you can trust, with whom you can communicate well and establish a long-time relationship.
 
A specialist requires a different sort of expertise. You'll still need to communicate well, but depending on the nature of your health problem, bedside manner and that need for a long-term relationship may be less important. There are additional considerations for finding the right specialist, too.
 
Sometimes the best doctor for you isn't a doctor at all. Nurse practitioners (NP) and physician assistants (PA) are considered "physician-extenders." There are also naturopaths and other practitioners of alternative and complementary medicine (CAM) who may be able to help you.

Find a Respectful Communicator

Regardless of the type of practitioner you need, you'll want to be sure you can communicate effectively, in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Many patients complain that they can't understand their doctors' use of "medspeak", or that they don't feel as if their providers listen to them, or give them enough time.
 
Sometimes those problems are due to a disregard for the needs of the patient. Other times there are good explanations. Respectful communication requires understanding on the parts of both doctors and patients to get beyond those hurdles.

Find a Practitioner Who Works with Your Insurance

This step gets more difficult as time goes on. The nature of health insurance means relationships between insurers and practitioners change over time. Doctors who accepted insurance from Company A this year, may work only with Company B next year. Put the other way, if you have insurance through Company A, you'll need to visit only those doctors who accept Company A's insurance, or you'll have to pay for his services separately.

Make Sure Dr. Right is the Right Type of Specialist

Patients are surprised to learn that seeing the wrong type of specialist, someone who focuses on only one body system, can stand in the way of accurate diagnosing and therefore, correct treatment. Work closely with your primary care physician to be sure you're being referred to the right type of specialty for your health problem.

Dr. Right's Credentials are Important

Where did your doctor go to medical school? Did he specialize in the medical service you need? Where did he complete his fellowship program? Is she board certified? Has she completed continuing education coursework? Is he licensed in your state? Does he stay current with publications and research in his field of specialty? Is she affiliated with any organizations that speak to her area of medicine?
 
Here are some resources for getting doctor information online:
  • You can get basic credential information from your state's licensing board.
  • Additional information about your doctor may be found at one of the doctor credential sites.
  • If board certification is not listed on those sites, you'll need to check separately to make sure your doctor is board certified in the type of specialty you seek. (Note: some doctors are board certified in one area, but practice in another. You'll want to confirm certification is in the right area for you.).
  • Directories and ratings websites may, or may not, contain useful information.

Dr. Right's Track Record is Important

The amount and level of experience your new doctor has can be vitally important, especially if you have a difficult to diagnose medical problem, or one that requires a difficult treatment. You'll also want to know that the doctor has a successful and clean record.
 
This information is found in a variety of locations, some more consistent and useful than others.

Are You Interested in Alternative or Complementary Medicine?

If you take nutritional supplements, want to try meditation or acupuncture, or even rely on your spirituality for some of your treatment decisions, you'll need a practitioner who understands and supports your choices. You'll need to ask this question directly of the physician you are considering, or you can check in with support groups and other patients to learn about doctors in your area who practice integrative medicine.

Hospital Affiliation May Be a Consideration

If you think you may need to be hospitalized at some point now, or in the future, and you have a strong preference for one hospital (or a disdain for a certain a hospital), you'll want to keep those choices in mind when you search for Dr. Right. Doctors will affiliate with one or more hospitals in their area of service. You'll want to find out which doctors are affiliated with your choice of hospitals.
 
Some Further Considerations:
Your doctor's location may be important to you, especially if good transportation is difficult, or if you live in a more rural area.  You may be more comfortable choosing a doctor of one gender or the other for no other reason than you are just more comfortable. This choice actually addresses your need to communicate respectfully. Keep in mind, however, that excellence in medical care knows no gender.
 
Consider a doctor's age. Some doctor relationships will last the rest of your life, as with a primary care doctor or one you see for a chronic disease. Consider choosing a doctor younger than you who will, presumably, outlive you.  Just like choosing gender, you may consider a doctor's native language or culture in your choice. When it comes to something as personal as medical care, you need to be able to communicate well, and language barriers, in particular, can get in the way. Culture can also affect bedside manner and sometimes is not translated as it is intended.
 
It is important to remember that neither language nor culture will be likely to affect the ability of the doctor to take care of you; rather, they may affect your ability to communicate effectively with each other. As with gender, it's important to acknowledge that excellent doctors speak every language and come from all cultures.
 
*Information above provided by patients.about.com
How to Choose a Doctor That's Right For You
How to Improve Health Care & Basic Health Tips
How to Identify Common Cold Symptoms
Know Your Symptoms: Recognize the Flu
How to Spot Signs of Pneumonia
When to Call a Doctor About a Cold?
How to Treat an Infant Who Has the Flu
How to Prevent Congestion
How Error-Free Is Your Doctor’s Care?
Doctor's Diet Weight Loss Nutrition Secrets
13 Secrets For Getting Better Doctor Care
No Social Security Number, No Doctor Care. Seriously?
Top 10 Reasons to Fire Your Doctor
Finding a Second Opinion Doctor
12 Tips for Improving Communication With Your Doctor
Review Prescription Medications With Your Doctor
Tips on Choosing the Right Doctor for You
How to Decide If You Should See a Doctor
Questions to Ask Your Doctor