Doctor Research - How To Find a Great Physician

inding a good physician takes more than simply looking in the Yellow Pages. It takes more than even listening to your friends and family for advice. To really find a good one, you’re going to have to put in some quality doctor research. Thankfully, this is easier than ever in the information age. There are numerous websites around that rank doctors and give you the low down on their public information. These sites provide an invaluable service to the public. But are they enough? If you really want to find out about your local physicians, you’ll have to dig a little deeper.

One of the most important aspects of doctor research involves looking at a physician’s credentials. It can be somewhat intimidating to just straight up ask a medical professional about their background, and in some cases it isn’t that fruitful. After all, any professional is going to spin their background to look as good as possible and you may not have enough experience to know the difference. That’s what makes doing your own independent queries such an important part of the process. Some things to look for when making these queries include seeing if the physician in question is board certified in their chosen specialty. Many physicians can practice medicine without being board certified, but the certification means they have passed a written exam and met the high standards of that profession. It also shows a dedication to their craft.

Look into a physician’s background and see if they have ever been professionally disciplined. This is separate from checking to see if they’ve had any malpractice suits filed against them. In many specialties, malpractice suits are simply a part of the job. You’ll be very fortunate to find a surgeon who has never been sued for one reason or another. Having said that, the results of those suits and the number of them can be used to make a decision. A professional admonishment from the American Medical Association or the state licensing board, however, should be looked at very carefully and given the weight it deserves.

Finally, check to see what sort of affiliations the physician has. See if they are affiliated with local hospitals. This can not only be a good sign as far as judging their worth, but it can be an important deciding factor when it comes to planning for the future. If a physician is affiliated with a hospital you don’t like or is too far away from you, it might make sense to look elsewhere.