# How To Find The Best Doctor



## Lon (May 2, 2015)

To find the best doctor for a particular ailment or procedure do a few Google Searches, but most importantly, check with nurses. The nurses in a hospital are in the know about who  is good and who is not. If a doctor has a bad reputation for his specialty they know and if he is good they know that as well. Checking with other patients that have had the same doctor is helpful as well. I have personally  had three separate conditions taken care of very successfully by doing  this and happily had the right kind of health coverage that allowed me a choice.


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## AZ Jim (May 2, 2015)

No good nurse in the world would rate physicians for a potential patient.  I have a rule when it comes to any medic who is going to bend me over. I look at the hands.  Big fingers?  Bye...


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## Lon (May 2, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> No good nurse in the world would rate physicians for a potential patient.  I have a rule when it comes to any medic who is going to bend me over. I look at the hands.  Big fingers?  Bye...



Gotta disagree Jim. Checking with one nurse no, but a concensus from a group of the nurses yes, and that's what I'm talking about.


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## Falcon (May 2, 2015)

My concern is where they got their MD degree. Osteopaths (DOs) can NOW call themselves MD here in Calif.

Although they  often do good when practicing 'osteopathy' they're NOT (!)  MDs!

I sure wouldn't go to one for brain surgery.


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## charlotta (May 2, 2015)

I have a lung problem.  I have blood that is too rich- an extra chromosome that makes my blood too rich that is called _factor V . 
_Without going into this too much, my geriatric doctor discovered this; therefore, I am staying with him.  He is a great 
doctor.  Sadly, his nurse practitioner is not as trained as she needs to be.  I have chosen to only see him twice a year
and and not see n.p. the other 2xs unless I have a health problem arise.


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## Don M. (May 2, 2015)

Another good source for checking on a doctors history can be found at ProPublica.org.  That site has had an ongoing series tracking doctors who prescribe excessive amounts of drugs....especially to those on Medicare or Medicaid.  Their pressure has resulted in The CMS releasing a new report on these doctors just in the past couple of days.  You can also look up a doctor on this site, and see what kinds of drugs he/she has been prescribing.  Also, you can look up the names of doctors who are taking kickbacks from drug companies, etc.  There is a wealth of info on the Internet....IF people do some research...might just save their lives, and help lower our ballooning HC costs.

http://www.propublica.org/article/g...trove-of-data-on-doctors-prescribing-patterns


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## Louis (May 2, 2015)

Something to ponder:



Question: What do you call a person who graduated at the very bottom of their class at medical school?

Answer: Doctor.


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## Georgia Lady (May 2, 2015)

Get recommendations from nurses.  Google and research to death.  Ask for a MD only
Y.  No Nurse Practitioners or Physicians Assistants.


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## Georgia Lady (May 2, 2015)

Louis said:


> Something to ponder:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Doctor who graduated bottom of class usually winds up in a Family Practice.  Or hopefullywinds up as Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant.


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## Butterfly (May 3, 2015)

I've actually had some VERY good Nurse Practitioners.  

I decided on my hip surgeon by word of mouth from other patients, and recommendations from a couple of my other medical care providers.  He's a great surgeon and is now considered one of the very best in town.  He has a Physician's Assistant who is also tops, and who does a lot of the routine stuff.  I liked and trusted him, too.    I think if the doctor is good, he's not going to settle for a mediocre assistant or nurse practitioner -- he wouldn't want to screw up his reputation by doing that.


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## oldman (May 3, 2015)

I use http://www.healthgrades.com. The site allows for patients to grade their healthcare professionals and hospitals. It is not scientific, but I like reading the various reviews written by the patients. They seem very real and honest. I was referred to a Rheumatologist by my PCP. We didn't click, so I checked her out on heatgrades.com. I found out that not too many others liked her for various reasons. So, next appointment, I called and asked for a different doctor. Now this lady knows her business. Two appointments later and I received the right medication and am living happy.


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