Totally freaked out about finding new doctors

[TravelingChris]

I am not so sure why I am so anxious about finding new doctors in this area. I have done this many times- sometimes with physician referrals, sometimes not. But I am paralyzed here. I need so many doctors and this area is so intimidating to me. There are hundreds of doctors to choose from. I am tryig to read reviews and keep coming up with horror stories. If anyone has recommendations, I would love to hear. I need internal medicine, pediatrician, orthopedist (for my adolescent daughters), neurologist (for my teenager), Rheumatologist (for me), Gynecologist (for me), opthalmologist (for me). I have good health insurance and I don't have to go to anyone in particular but I need pediatrician who deals with ADHD, a rheumatologist who is familiar with less common diseases, and an internal medicine doctor who can tolerate complicated cases. Many doctors can't or won't. Many have their own weird agendas like everyone has Lyme disease or no one is ADHD. My dh understands nothing about my fears. The thing is I grew up here and had bad experiences here with doctors both with myself and my mother and sister.

[Alessandra]

No advice here, just sympathy. Some of the worst doctors I've ever had were ones I picked out after a lot of research -- best schools, residencies, clinical teaching positions, top magazine ratings, etc. These people were basically too busy to pay attention to *me*! Avoid specialists whose offices have pix of famous people they've treated.

 

For the kids, the 1st pediatrician I picked out was a single practitioner -- great attention, except that when dc needed help after hours, there was a real problem getting help from the "cooperative" group of individual practitioners.

 

The best doctors I have found were from referrals from a good doctor -- not someone I was actually using (a urologist), but he knew someone, and on down the line.

 

A good place to start is with hospital affiliation. Perhaps if you can indicate one or more hospitals here (without giving personal info), someone might know a doc?

 

Sorry not to be more help -- this was sort of a "perhaps you can learn from my mistakes" post!

 

ETA A red flag for me is if you can't get a same-day appointment for an immediate need. IMO, overscheduling makes even a good doc bad.

Edited December 29, 2008 by Alessandra

[stripe]

There is really no sure fire way BUT can you ask anyone? Also sometimes they have open houses. Well, the first pediatrician I took my first child to had one. Ahem. (I've moved on several times since then, but they seemed good at the time!) Also if you have a specific/rare health concern, try to find recommendations from someone who knows about that, and go from there.

 

I second the same-day sick appointment. I don't understand sick appts scheduled for 2 weeks later!

[bettyandbob]

I sent you a private message with one suggestion. I totally understand the difficultly of finding doctors who are willing to look for something besides their own favorite disease. My dd was a victim of one of those. I'm not that close to your new location that's why I didn't suggest more doctors to you.

[G5052]

Ask around but ask a lot of questions. You know the story -- "Oh we just love Dr. X, he's so nice and always returns our calls and..." Then you ask when the last time was that they saw him, and it was two years ago! Ask people with chronic illness.

 

DH sees one doctor monthly, and he's 90% wonderful personally and superb technically. He's also local. So we put up with the 10% when he's off base or when things don't get called in because the next nearest one is an hour away and that's not possible for DH. When I'm asked for an opinion on him, I always struggle what to say. DH will continue seeing him though.

[Vida Winter]

I always ask nurses. They know the best docs. That's how I found the best OB on the planet when I had just moved to Virginia.

[Blessedfamily]

You have my sympathy.

 

There is little in life I dislike more than finding a new doctor ( except maybe going to one I don't like because he's the only guy in town.)

 

I don't know anyone great up near you except a pediatric endocrinologist and pediatric ophthalmologist and they weren't on your list.

 

Whovever you pick, allow time for two accidents on the interstate to get to your appointments.:glare:

 

I had the same experience with pediatricians that Alessandra mentioned. We LOVED ours, but she had a single practice and you had to go to strange(unfamiliar) doctors for after hours.

 

There are a lot of specialists around the beltway, so I hope you find some willing to listen to your concerns.

[Liz CA]

I am not so sure why I am so anxious about finding new doctors in this area. I have done this many times- sometimes with physician referrals, sometimes not. But I am paralyzed here. I need so many doctors and this area is so intimidating to me.

 

First let me say that I am not at all familiar with the way things are done in your neck of the woods but here I have been able to contact the local chapter of the American Medical Association. Often they publish a book which lists all the board certified MDs with address & phone numbers. When it comes to pediatrician, I usually got advice from other Mom's. For OB/GYN etc. I sometimes asked someone or took a chance. You can always change.

 

I know it's a hassle, especially when you have to keep looking for someone you can talk to and feel you are being heard. But after some major medical stuff last year, I am not shy at all anymore when I feel I need to switch docs.