Choosing a doctor is one of the most important health decisions you'll ever make. It is important to find a sensitive, empathetic physician you can relate to who also has good training and practices sound, scientific medicine. Unfortunately, finding an excellent doctor with a good personality who is medically competent is not as easy as it sounds.
Heath insurance systems are managing your doctor intensively, rationing your care to save money. They want doctors to limit referrals, tests, and especially hospitalizations. Dr. LeMaitre calls these insurance systems the new HMO’s: “Handcuffed Medical Organizations”. This book will teach you how to beat the handcuffers.
Physicians who practice medicine as an art as well as a science still exist and this book offers guidelines for finding the good doctors. Among the suggestions:
- Look beyond credentials.
- Check your doctor's reputation among colleagues and in the community.
- Be familiar with the key features of the good doctor, the 20 critical points of this book.
- Look at your doctor's responsibility, availability, attitude about money and about second opinions.
- Consider whether your doctor cares about you as a person - or are you just another obstructed gall bladder?
Whether you are looking for a doctor or wondering if yours is a good one,
Choosing Your Doctor may be a lifesaver. You’ll learn what to look for — what’s important and what you can ignore — and how to know when you’ve found
the good doctor.
