The relationship between doctor and patient has changed for the better in recent years. The best doctors treat their patients as partners in the health care decision-making process. They know that when patients are informed, they are more likely to follow through with medications and treatment plans. Studies have shown that when patients are actively engaged in health care decisions, that positive involvement helps the healing process.
The physicians to avoid are the old-school doctors who do not want patients to ask questions or seek second opinions.
The National Institutes Of Health offers the following guidelines for choosing a doctor:
First, decide what type of physician you need. For your primary care doctor, you might want a general or family practitioner, an internist or a geriatrician.
General practitioners provide health care for a wide range of medical problems. They do not focus on any one area of medicine.
Family practitioners are similar to general practitioners, with extra training on health care for all family members, regardless of age.
Internists are doctors for adults. Some internists take additional training to become specialists. For example, cardiologists are internists who specialize in diseases of the heart.
Geriatricians specialize in the care of older adults. A geriatrician is trained in family practice or internal medicine but has additional training in caring for older people.
Many insurance plans require enrollees to have a primary care physician that coordinates medical care and handles all referrals to patients. Health management organizations, or HMOs, require patients to consult physicians who have agreed to be part of their networks of providers. If your insurance plan is a preferred physician network, you can generally select a physician not on the insurance company list but you most always have to pay more out-of-pocket costs.
Know what to look for in choosing a doctor, the NIH says. Check out a physician's education and training. Ask to talk to the office manager before making an appointment. Ask about office policies. The NIH suggests the following points to consider:
- Board certification. Board-certified doctors have extra training after medical school to become specialists in a field of medicine such as family practice, internal medicine or geriatrics.
- Communication. You want a doctor who will listen carefully to your concerns, answer your questions and explain things clearly and fully.
- Type of health insurance. Does the doctor accept Medicare? See the section on Medicare for more information.
- The location of the doctor's office. Will it be easy for you to get there? Is there parking?
- Lab work. Will I need to go to another location for blood tests or are lab tests done in the doctor's office?
- Group practice. If this is a group practice, who are the other doctors and what are their specialties?
- Coverage. Who sees patients for the doctor if he or she is out of town or not available?
- Does the doctor see many older patients?
- Does the doctor see patients who have many health problems?
- Does the doctor refer patients to other doctors for special problems?
- Does the doctor treat many patients with the same chronic health problem that I have, for example, diabetes?
All of Manatee's hospitals - Blake Medical Center, Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Hospital - have physician directories organized by specialty. Those directories are available in the hospital lobby. The same directories are available on hospital Web sites.
You also can check with the Manatee County Medical Society for a referral by calling 755-3411. A list of area hospitals, with contact numbers, addresses and Web sites, can be found in "Living Here."
Once you have determined what kind of doctor you are looking for, ask neighbors and friends about physicians in the area. Frequently the best referral comes from someone you trust who has required the same kind of care you seek.
