Research potential doctors before your first appointment.
When it comes to your health, it's important to do your research. That's especially critical when it comes to choosing a doctor. It's important to know things like how long he has been in practice, where she went to school, if he completed any fellowships, what type of insurance she accepts, whether he knows any second languages, and the like. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources online and other useful methods that make it easy to research doctors before we even make that first appointment.
Instructions
Go online
1. Go online to research potential doctors. Many websites provide detailed information on doctors. Check out the American Board of Medical Specialties online. This site will tell you if a doctor is board certified and why it matters for doctors to be board certified. Registration is required, but the site is free to use.
2. Find your state's medical board website. Most state's medical boards are online where you can search by a doctor's last name. When you do, you'll find a doctor's education, residency, fellowship and board certification (if applicable), as well as any disciplinary action.
3. Visit your health insurance website. Most health insurance companies work with third-party vendors to get detailed information about the doctors in their network. You can typically search by a doctor's last name and find information on his background. You can even get detailed information like how many surgeries she has performed in a year and whether he knows any second languages.
Pick up the phone
4. Talk to the office staff at the doctor's clinic to get more information. This will also help you find out a lot of basic information like if they are accepting new patients, office hours and insurances accepted.
5. Ask the office staff if you can speak to any other patients. It's important to know that it may not be easy to get this information. The office staff must first get permission from patients to give out their contact information. But, if provided, it can be a great resource for learning about a doctor's bedside manner, how long he or she spends with patients and other details that are important to you.
6. Make an informational appointment with the doctor if you are still unsure. This will give you a good idea if the doctor is right for you. Ask her about her background, how he would handle certain situations, and how much time she dedicates to office appointments.
