About Today: How to Find a Great Doctor 9/21/11

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor There's nothing scarier than not having a doctor -- or worse, having a doctor you don't really like.

Finding Dr. Right  I've been in both situations, either because I moved and couldn't find the right doc, or because my doctor retired. (I consider this a huge betrayal, by the way. What about me, doc? What about me?) How to Research a Doctor's Credentials How to Find a Doctor's Medical Malpractice Record See More About:  board certification  primary care  patient doctor communications

How to Find a Doctor Online  The internet is a great place to start looking for a doctor, but it's best if you think of it as an electronic version of word of mouth. A website can help you look up credentials and background information, but it can also fail to alert you to malpractice suits. How to Change Doctors How to Communicate With Your Doctor See More About:  malpractice  patient - doctor communications  credible internet health information

How to Find a Doctor When You're Sick  The worst is looking for a doctor when you're already sick. I've seen some truly weird doctors as a result of waiting until I was sick to call the doc. (To be fair, I'm sure many of them found me a fairly weird patient. That's what happens when you don't develop a doctor-patient relationship ahead of time.) 10 Reasons to Fire Your Doctor Answers to Your Flu Shot Questions See More About:  health insurance  health departments

Finding a Doctor for a Second Opinion  Great quote from our patient empowerment Guide: "Any doctor worthy of the practice of medicine will be supportive [of your desire to get a second opinion]. If he's not supportive? That's a red flag which means you most definitely need a second opinion." Here's how to go about it. When Do You Need a Second Opinion? How to Work With Your Second Opinion Doctor See More About:  second opinions  medical decision making  patient doctor communications