| Choosing a doctor to treat GERD |
| Written by Johh Taylor | |
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When you hire a plumber or take your car in for repair work, you probably do at least a little checking into the reputation of the service provider you're hiring, whether it be asking a friend or checking an online consumer site. When hiring someone for perhaps the most important service you'll ever need, medical care, why wouldn't you take the same, if not more care? Oddly enough, many Americans do very little research before picking a physician to treat serious illnesses like gastroesophageal reflux disease. While it's tough for a layman to understand all the ins and outs of the medical profession, there are a variety of ways GERD patients can ensure they receive quality medical treatment. GERD is a disease of the upper gastrointestinal system, so chances are that many of the medical professionals you'll be dealing with will specialize in that area. Medical professionals from other disciplines may be involved in your care as well. Knowing what type of doctors and other health care providers that may be involved with your care can help you make informed decisions regarding your care. Here's a few medical professionals who may be involved in your care:
For starters, you'll need to ensure that your gastroenterologist is board certified. The American Medical Association and the American Board of Medical Specialties set forth a list of requirements for a variety of medical specialties. Gastorenterology is a subspecialty of internal medicine. This means your gastroenterologist should be a board certified itneranal medicine specialist. You can check your doctor's status by taking a look at "The Official ABMS Directory of Bard Certified Medical Specialists." The directory is available at www.abms.org. Once you know your doctor meets those requirements, you'll probably also want to check to see where he or she ranks in the medical pecking order. A good way to do that is to check with various medical associations. Chances are, the more work the doctor has published with these organizations and the more professional associations he or she is a member of, the more likely it is that he or she is a highly competent and respected physician. A good place to start is the American College of Gastroenterology. You can also check your state's medical society to find out more information about your doctor. Your state government also can provide some very good resources for researching prospective medical care providers. Many state health departments list malpractice and disciplinary information concerning doctors on their Web sites. Other states go even further, listing individual doctors' education, professional activities, specialty, hospital affiliation and malpractice judgments or settlements on their Web sites. The Internet has become a powerful advocate for medical consumers, giving patients a forum to share experiences and commend or condemn various providers. Find a reliable medical consumer site or message board and see what other folks have to say about your prospective doctor. Another consideration to take into account when choosing a doctor is your health insurance plan. Many plans have a set list of doctors which you can choose from, narrowing the field of candidates you have to chose from. Contact your insurer for a list, or to voice concerns about the quality of care offered. If your plan offers substandard physicians, you may want to contact your state department of insurance for assistance. The bottom line is that you'll be spending a lot of time and a lot of money with the doctor you choose to treat your GERD. To ensure you receive a physician whose personality is simpatico with your own, and to make sure you're receiving the best available treatment, it is advisable to do a little research beforehand. |
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