When choosing a physician, such as a surgeon or a medical oncologist, it is helpful to gather information. No one source gives a perfect measure of quality. However, when you combine information from the sources listed below, you can make an informed decision.
Physician directories
Many large hospitals and health insurance plans have directories that can help you choose a physician. These directories are a good starting point because they often list physicians by medical specialty and gender. They may also have personal biographies, which list education, training, certification and personal interests. These services are often available from your employer's human resource department. They can also be found on many hospital and health plan websites.
Trusted referrals
One of the best ways to find a good health care provider is a referral from a trusted source. People often get the names of qualified providers from their primary care physicians, family members, friends or other breast cancer survivors.
Board certification
Making sure a physician is board certified is an important step in finding a good provider. To be board certified, a physician must have the training and knowledge to practice a medical specialty. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) oversees the certification of specialists. The ABMS online directory allows you to verify a physician's certification. Many physicians post their ABMS certificates in their offices.
The American Medical Association maintains DoctorFinder, a database of physicians in the U.S. DoctorFinder lists a physician's certification status and has information on where the physician went to medical school and did his or her residency.
Malpractice records
Malpractice records can be a sign of the quality of care a physician provides. If a physician or his/her malpractice insurance company has made malpractice payouts, he/she may offer less than quality care. However, this is not always true. It is possible for physicians to be sued for malpractice when, in fact, they did nothing wrong. Therefore, in some cases, malpractice suits may not reflect the skill of the physician.
State medical boards often have malpractice records available to consumers. Many states, including California, Florida and New York, have this information online, either through their state sites or through directories like DocFinder and Health Care Choices. Malpractice records are not always available. However, these sites are a good starting point for a search.
Physician interview
Interviewing a physician about his/her approach to treating breast cancer is a good way to gather information about his/her abilities. This may be done as part of a formal consultation.
Keep in mind that a physician who sees only people with breast cancer is likely to be more experienced at treating breast cancer than one who treats a variety of cancers. Outside of large medical centers, however, it can be hard to find physicians (such as surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists who treat only breast cancer. If you choose a physician who does not specialize in breast cancer, he/she should still have a good deal of experience treating it. Your physician should see many people diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
The Health Care Choices Web site has information on the number of people with breast cancer that surgeons in New York have treated in certain years. It also offers data from other states on the number of breast cancer survivors treated by certain hospitals and surgical centers each year.
Here are some questions you can ask when interviewing a physician:
- How long have you been practicing?
- Do you only see people diagnosed with breast cancer?
- How many breast cancer cases do you see or operate on in a year?
- What breast cancer treatment guidelines do you follow? (Learn more about treatment guidelines.)
Find more questions to ask a potential provider.
Also, you should ask whether a physician takes part in clinical trials. A physician who does is likely to know about new practices and be more open to future medical treatments. However, the ability to take part in clinical trials can depend on the type of hospital where a physician practices. Many community hospitals do not conduct clinical trials, but this does not mean that physicians on their staff are not up-to-date on the latest treatments.
Finally, an interview gives you a chance to assess a physician's personality and communication skills. For many people, it is not enough that their physician is good at what he/she does; their physician must also be someone they feel comfortable with on a more personal level.
Rating services
Although they are imperfect guides, many local and national magazines have issues listing the "best" hospitals and physicians. These types of listings can be good guides, but you should keep in mind that excellent care is also available through many physicians and hospitals that are not listed in these reports.
Updated 02/01/10
