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HEALTH & FITNESS

finding a physician

Finding Dr. Right

There are plenty of resources and reasons to find the correct physician.

Ruthan Brodsky
Special to the Jewish News

S

electing a new doctor is not
something any of us wants to

do on a regular basis. It takes
time to build a patient/doctor

relationship.
The trick is to select a physician
before you actually need one. It's not

cians.
Your internist, your family physi-

Surfing The Web

intervals. Board certification ensures

If you want to look on the Internet for

that the doctor has completed several

cian or your primary care physician
becomes your partner because your
health insurance plan may require you

a doctor, type into the Google search
window: "find a local doctor." You'll

years of training in a given area.
Information about a doctor's hospi-
tal affiliations will tell you if the doctor

to see your primary doctor before you

see a specialist.
Then consider which hospital is
convenient. Since most doctors are
associated with a particular hospital,
it's helpful to select a physician affili-

see dozens of links.
Once your search narrows down
to three or four different doctors, call
each doctor's office for information

has privileges at a particular hospital
and also attests to his credentials.
For example, if you're having sur-

regarding the doctor's training and
experience. You may receive bro-
chures or a Web site address that

gery, you may want to make sure that
your primary care physician and your
surgeon have privileges at the same

describes the practice.
Check the qualifications of each
doctor. Ask the office or visit the Web

hospital so that your physician can
manage your general care following

doctor. They vary in experience, train-

ated with the hospital of your choice.
You can also contact that hospital and
find out about their physician-finding

ing and personality.
Not that long ago, we chose a
physician based on the personal rec-

service.
As another source, ask your insur-
ance provider for information they

ommendation of friends and family.
Today, you may need to select from a

have on their member doctors. Always
remember the importance of your doc-

site of the American Board of Medical
Specialties to learn if the doctor is
board certified, by which board and
on what date. The certification date is

for appointments?

list of managed care network physi-

tor to your well being.

important because some doctors are
required to be re-examined at specific

FINDING DR. RIGHT on page A24

a good idea to wait until you're ill and

select the first physician you see.
The problem is there is no perfect

surgery.
Other details you want to know:
• What are the office hours?
• What is the average waiting time

January 29 • 2009

A23