By Dr. John Smith (DEMO)

Choosing the right physician for you can be a choice of life or death. I don’t mean to scare you but really, what’s more important than our health right? It’s a very important decision when deciding on who should be the “keeper of your health” and it doesn’t necessarily mean you want to choose the “best” doctor in terms of reputation in your town. But it should mean yyou should choose the best doctor for YOU. Below you will find a few tips to helping you choose the right fit.

Referrals

Many people feel most comfortable visiting a physician who is recommended by someone they know, like a family member, co-worker or friend. Much like choosing a hair stylings or a cleaning service this is the best place to start. Obviously, when choosing a specialist, your primary care physician usually is the best bet when they refer. In some cases you can ask for other specialist in case you want options.

In Network

Rising healthcare cost have effected everybody. Going to a provider that is outside your insurance network would be a very expensive proposition. It only makes sense to see those doctors that are inside your insurance network. This information can usually be found on the provider’s website (if it’s a good website). If you not sure, give them a call.

Credentials

Researching a physician’s education and work experience will give you an idea of how tenured he/she is. When did they graduate? Where did they do their residency? Do they have any specialties or sub-specialties? You can look them up on the Department of Justice website to make sure they don’t have any disciplinary or malpractice claims against them. Doing proper due diligence goes along way when determining a physician.

These three tips should be a starting point when deciding what doctor to choose but there is nothing like a good ole face to face visit as your last vetting step. After doing your research and you feel good about them after meeting….you might have a keeper!