If you’re in the market for a new doctor, it’s important to do your homework. You want to make sure that the person you ultimately choose has a good reputation and will take care of you.
Check online reviews
Another way to check a doctor’s reputation is by checking their online reviews. A good review site will have both positive and negative reviews, and the ratio of positive to negative comments should be high. The longer the doctor has been in practice, the more likely they are to have received more reviews — and a higher ratio of positive ones at that! And finally, look for a response from the doctor themselves when reading through reviews. This will tell you if they’re actively engaged in caring for their patients or not.
Find out if the doctor is board-certified in the specialty
If you’re looking for a specialist, such as an orthopedist or cardiologist, it’s important to know whether your doctor has been certified by his or her specialty board. All doctors must pass an exam before they’re allowed to practice medicine in any state. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) organizes these exams and certifies those who pass them with their respective specialty boards. If a doctor claims to be board-certified in a particular area of medicine but there is no mention of it on his or her resume or online profile, ask him what certification he holds and confirm that information with the ABMS directly.
To verify whether someone is actually board-certified:
- Go to the website of your state’s medical board.
- Locate the list of physicians who are licensed to be engaged in practice in your state — this should include all physicians currently practicing there, regardless of where they were trained; check each one against its own database for results from its national examination(s).
- You can also search by name using Facebook’s Graph Search tool; type “[name] certified by [board name]” into Graph Search and you will see all individuals who have self-identified themselves this way on their profiles.
Ask trusted people for recommendations
Ask your friends, family and colleagues how they feel about the physician’s care. Have they been going to him or her for a long time? Do they recommend the doctor to others? Would they go back if needed? In addition, ask what they like most about their experience with this health professional.
Ask about the doctor’s training
When you’re looking for a doctor, you want to make sure that they are qualified. The best way to do this is by asking about their training and experience. A good place to start is by asking about the doctor’s education. This can help you understand where the doctor went to school and what kind of training they received there. It also gives an idea of how long it took them before becoming a practicing physician, which might allow you to gauge how experienced they are. For instance: “I have been in practice here since 2005.”
Call the office and speak with a staff member
Ask about how long the doctor has been in practice, where he or she went to medical school, whether he or she is board-certified, what credentials he or she holds (such as diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine) and how many years he or she has been practicing in your area. If you are satisfied with this data, ask about patient satisfaction rates for that doctor’s office.
For instance: “What percentage of clients would you say return for ongoing care?” In addition to these questions, ask if there are any major issues that keep clients from returning.
If your call doesn’t go well or you feel uneasy about what was said during your conversation, try another doctor’s office until you find one that checks out satisfactorily with all of these points before selecting them as your primary physician(s).
Search for disciplinary actions taken against the physician
Disciplinary actions taken against a doctor may give insight into the physician’s overall reputation. Data about disciplinary action can be found on the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) website. This site delivers data on the following:
- Disciplinary actions taken by state medical boards (for instance, license revocation or probation).
- Reports filed with the NPDB by hospitals, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and other healthcare entities regarding physicians who have had adverse events involving patient care or billing practices. These reports are filed when there is reasonable evidence that an incident occurred that may constitute serious misconduct or incompetence.
In conclusion
With the right doctor, you’re not just getting treatment but also care and advice to keep you healthy. It’s important to do your research and ask questions before deciding on a physician. If your search doesn’t turn up positive results or if there are no reviews available online, consider other options such as talking with friends or family members who might have been in similar situations.
