How to Choose a Doctor

Introduction

Can I see any doctor I want to see?

Primary Care Physician or Specialist?

General medicine

Family practitioner

Internist

Ob/gyn

Pediatrician

What type of specialist should I see?

Allergist/immunologist

Dermatologist

Endocrinologist

Gastroenterologist

Hematologist

Neurologist

Ophthalmologist

Otolaryngologist

Oncologist

Orthopedic surgeon

Pulmonologist

Plastic surgeon

Podiatrist

Psychiatrist

Surgeon

Urologist

How do I evaluate a doctor?

Making the choice

How can I ensure a good medical visit?

How to Choose a Hospital

How can I find out about quality of care?

Ratings

Patient safety issues

Profit vs. nonprofit

Hospitalization

Why you won’t want to go/why you won’t want to leave

Multidisciplinary care model

Your rights and responsibilities as a patient

JCAHO patient safety requirements

HIPAA

Precertification

Pre-admission testing

Choosing your anesthesiologist

Your medical care team

Nosocomial infections

Tips on how to prevent medical errors

What if I’m not satisfied with my care?

Taking Charge of Your Health

Personal health plan; personal health record

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

What is alternative medicine?

Acupuncture

Chiropractic

Homeopathy

Hypnosis

Massage therapy

Mind-body medicine

Naturopathy

Does alternative medicine work?

How to choose the right therapy

How to evaluate a practitioner

Evaluating Health Information on the Internet

Useful Web Sites