Choosing a New Doctor 101
November 26, 2003

Last week we answered a question about the mechanics of finding a doctor in Tuolumne County. If you have followed our advice and have succeeded in getting an appointment with a doctor in the specialty you need, who accepts your insurance and who has an appointment available within a few months you are in good shape. At this point it’s not a bad idea to do a little research on the prospective physician before your appointment. You can check on board certification status by visiting the website www.abms.org or by calling 1-866-ASK-ABMS (275-2267.) A physician who is board certified has completed a training program in their area of practice and has completed an examination that assesses the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to practice high quality medicine. There are numerous websites designed to assist you in researching physicians as well. The site for the American Medical Association is www.ama-assn.org. You can also do a search on www.google.com and type in “choosing a doctor” or “researching a doctor.”

If you are comfortable that there are no glaring issues with the doctor’s background, the next order of business is to decide if this doctor is a good match for you and will meet your expectations as a health care provider. This requires that you actually have some expectations in place. It is crucial for you as a patient to know what you want and expect from a doctor and to communicate expectations clearly at the first visit. At the initial appointment you should be able to tell if the doctor is someone who makes you feel comfortable, someone you will be able to confide in, express concerns and fears to, and trust with your life. If you feel intimidated by the doctor or feel that they are not interested in listening to or addressing your concerns, the best thing to do is thank them for their time, go home and start the process over again. You should also expect and demand to be treated warmly and professionally by all of the staff at the doctor’s office. These people are there to provide a service to you. Just because they are busy does not mean they shouldn’t also be courteous and helpful to you and your family.

It is important to find out how the doctor arranges his or her call schedule. Who will fill in for them when they are not available? How often are they on call or not on call? Do they admit their own patients to the hospital or does someone else do their inpatient care? These are just a few of the important questions you should ask on your initial visit, if not before.
Keep in mind that the only reason the medical profession exists is to help you, the patient. Healthcare should be a partnership between patients, families and physicians, all working together toward a common goal. This goal can only be reached if there is open communication and cooperation among all of the members of this partnership.
Stay healthy and happy,
Dr. Matt and Dr. Bob

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