Just What the Patient Ordered

Choosing the Right Doctor

BY REGINA VITTI-LYONS

“Never go to a doctor whose plants have died.” Funny lady Erma Bombeck may have been joking, but is it really any crazier than looking at your HMO’s list of doctors and picking one at random?

Since choosing the right doctor is imperative to your health, it should be done wisely. Start by making a list of what’s important to you. Some things you should consider:

State licensing: This is not optional. All physicians in New Jersey must be licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners, ensuring they have the appropriate education and training, have passed specific examinations, and follow state regulations.

Board certification: Board certified doctors have extra training after medical school to become specialists in a specific field of medicine.

Other Qualifications: Other qualifications can be things like performing research, teaching at a university, chairing a department, publishing in professional journals or giving presentations.

Location: You need to be able to get to the doctor’s office.

Hospital privileges: Does the doctor use a hospital you’d want to go to?

Referrals: The first thing many people do when looking for a doctor is ask people they trust for a referral. Other good referral sources are the Internet, magazines and newspapers.

Once you have made a list of qualified doctors, it’s time to check them out. In the book “YOU: The Smart Patient: An Insider’s Handbook for Getting the Best Treatment,” Drs. Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz suggest scheduling an appointment when nothing’s wrong because it “will give you a stress-free chance to appraise the doctor and the office employees.”

Once you are there, you have more investigating to do. Start by making a checklist of things you’re looking for and a list of questions to ask the doctor and the staff.

A few things you’ll want to be aware of:

The office staff: Were they polite, helpful and knowledgeable? Were you able to get on the schedule quickly?

The office itself: Is it clean and comfortable? Did you have to wait long to be seen?

The doctor: Did he or she take their time? Were they polite and respectful? Did they listen to you? Were they able to answer your questions? Did they wash their hands and ask about any medications you’re on?

There are also numerous questions you’ll want to ask the doctor and the staff. Where must you go for lab tests and x-rays? Do they complete insurance claim forms and does it cost anything? If the doctor is away, who will you see? Who answers the phone after hours? Do they see patients the same day for sick appointments?

Add your own questions to the list and write down the answers so you can compare doctors. You can find a great checklist and worksheet to guide you through the process at http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/qnt/qntdr.htm.

If you don’t get the answers or care you expect and deserve, try another doctor. “A smart patient chooses wisely and will walk out if there’s not a fit,” write Drs. Roizen and Oz. “A smart doctor will also choose wisely and refer a patient who’s not a match.”

It may seem daunting, but a good match is essential for your health.

Your primary care doctor
According to the AMA, medical doctors practice in more than 30 specialties. The doctor who will refer you to these specialists and who you will probably see most often is your Primary Care Physician. Before the world of managed care, this doctor was referred to as the family doctor. His or her practice covers a variety of medical problems rather than a specific specialty. Your primary care physician can be a general or family practitioner, or a general internist and is either an M.D. or a D.O. A child’s primary care physician can be a pediatrician, a general practitioner who treats only children. Sometimes a woman’s gynecologist serves as her primary care physician. A gynecologist specializes in women’s health and is usually also an obstetrician – a doctor who cares for pregnant women and delivers babies.

Websites to help you find the right doctor
New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners - http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/bme/
American Medical Association - http://www.ama-assn.org/
US Department of Health and Human Services: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality - http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/qnt/qntdr.htm
American Board of Medical Specialties - http://www.abms.org/
American College of Physicians - http://www.acponline.org/
American College of Surgeons - http://www.facs.org/