Medical Malpractice

Most already instinctively begin doctor research by asking friends what doctors they use when we are looking for someone with a certain specialty. It is important to go beyond just taking the name, however. Hopefully your friend will not refer you to someone with whom she has had a poor experience, but that does not mean that the suggested professional will be a good fit for you. Ask questions about issues that are important to you. Do you need someone who is close to you so that you can make a lunchtime appointment, or do you need an office that is kid friendly because you are likely to have kids in tow? Is an organized and timely office staff important to you? Is the blood lab on site, or will you be driving across town for blood work? Anything that slightly annoys you about the business side of the doctor's office is going to affect the doctor/client relationship. Prodding a friend for this type of information is perfectly ethical.

It is usually not within ethical codes for another medical professional to give the low down on a colleague, but it is suggested that you ask your referring physician if he thinks a certain doctor is a good fit for you. This is a great way to do doctor research. Tell him what qualities are important to you when you are receiving medical care, and he will be able to politely steer you toward someone that will fit your personality. If for some reason the doctor that you choose does not work out, it is perfectly acceptable to tell your referring physician what happened and to ask for another referral.

Lately the most utilized tools for doctor research are ratings tools that do all the research for you. You can find all pertinent information to any doctor on websites that specialize in physician ratings. You can not only find information about the undergraduate and medical schools someone attended, but you can also find licensing and certification information including if there have been any lapses or disciplinary actions taken against the person you are researching. Malpractice suits are also publicized and can be found on these sites.

Using friends and family, doctors with whom you have an established relationship, and physician research and rating tools together is likely to find you the best doctor possible for your specific needs. The ultimate test certainly is to undergo a few medical appointments with the chosen physician, and though it is possible that even massive research and a positive referral can dead end, it is likely that your time and effort will be well spent.