It’s the decade of the empowered patient, which means a lot more legwork for the average citizen. No longer can we sit back and let medical professionals be the sole decision-makers about our health—we must step up and take a more active role. In fact, our work must begin before we’ve even had our first doctor’s appointment. For what could be more vital to our healthcare experience than choosing the right doctor?

The goal must be to find someone you can trust with your life, because if and when you find yourself in a serious health situation, that’s exactly what you’ll have to do. And timing’s of the essence, too—much better to have done the weeding work necessary to find your top pick before you find yourself in a crisis, not after. The New York Times (September 29, 2008) cites studies that show it’s harder to get in the door as a new patient when cold-calling, and that even uninsured patients who have a regular source of care get better care than those who don’t. So this month’s blog is devoted to helping you ferret out the best possible doctor for you.

The List
The first step is to make a list of potential candidates. You can start by asking family and friends for recommendations, but you don’t want to end there—be sure to do your due diligence by checking these leads against more objective sources. For example, you can call your local hospital for a list of practitioners who are accepting new patients, and check with your health insurer for a list of approved physicians. 
 Your health plan may offer additional information about their physicians to help guide your choice, but if not, try to find a list of “best doctors” for your area by visiting your local library (regional magazines sometimes run annual surveys on healthcare topics, particularly in larger metropolitan areas). Web research can also fortify your efforts, though fees may be involved for certain services: try Angie’s List (www.angieslist.com) to see consumer ratings of docs, HealthGrades (www.healthgrades.com) for physician video clips, and DocFinder (www.docboard.org) for certification status with the American Board of Medical Specialties.

The Questions
With your prospect list in hand, you’re next ready to start asking questions. Interviewing doctors is a key step in the selection process, and one that will be well worth the time spent. From your earlier search process, you may have found several people who look great on paper. But there is no better way for you to find out whether you click with a particular doctor’s working style than meeting face-to-face before you decide whether you want to become that person’s patient. Not all doctors are willing to give patients this opportunity, and some who will do it may require payment. When you call around to set up time for these interviews, you can factor the office’s response to your request into your decision-making process.

• Depending on what your research unearthed, here are some questions to ask:
• What was your medical training, and what are your hospital affiliations?
• What are your special areas of practice?
• Who covers patients when you are unavailable?
• Who else will be on my healthcare team?
• Do you have special training in managing my specific medical conditions?
• How many patients have you treated with conditions similar to mine?
• How do you view the doctor-patient relationship—is it a partnership?
• How does the office handle administrative issues like payment and billing?

The Decision

Once the interview is over, take some time to reflect on how it went. Did you feel the doctor was listening to you? Did the doctor seem comfortable answering your questions? Did the doctor talk to you in a way that you could understand? Did you feel the doctor respected you? If you find yourself answering “no” to one or more of these questions, this is probably not the doctor for you. Since presumably people are on their best behavior during an interview, it probably won’t get better than this should you become this doctor’s patient.
 If you’re on the fence about whether to choose a particular doctor or not, you might let your impressions of the office staff tip the balance. Since receptionists and other office staff are integrally connected with your total experience of visiting a physician, notice whether these individuals convey efficiency and professionalism, or whether deficiencies in these areas cause frustration.
 Once you’ve made your selection, remember that part of being an empowered patient is being able to change your mind. If after your first appointment your new doc does not feel like a fit, you can always choose to pull out your list, and try again.