Finding the right doctor is a rather difficult process. From finding someone who is versed in modern medical treatment, to doctors who are willing to use Eastern and Western medicine, the right combination is hard to find!
In order to find a medical professional who has the most relevant training and expertise for your health concerns, try out these four ways to find the right doctor for you.
1. Talk to Others
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One of the most underutilized ways of gathering knowledge about a doctor is talking to other people. It can be difficult to find the right group to talk to but look through places like Facebook and Instagram. You can find more people in your area that are part of support groups etc. that can help you find the right doctor.
2. Finding the Right Groups
Using resources such as Facebook, Instagram, Craigslist and others is a great way to find groups. The biggest issue that you may run into is finding the right group for your needs. Just like vetting a doctor, you’ll have to vet the support groups where you are getting information.
Or, better yet, make a few friends, learn about the specialists in your area, and continue your research. That’s the best way to use a social group while looking for a specialist.
3. Utilize Your Insurance Team
Believe it or not, insurance teams are there to help you! If you have an insurance team at your disposal (many companies have them now), then utilize that service.
They can provide not only information regarding the doctor that you would like to meet with, but they can also see who is in your insurance plan faster than you can.
4. A Note on PPO and HMO
If you are using an HMO for your insurance, it may be even more difficult to find a specialist. This is another reason why insurance teams can be so helpful. They can find specialists more readily than you can just because of their experience and knowledge base.
When using a PPO, things are a bit different. There’s more flexibility available which will open up many more options.
5. Ask Your Primary Doctor for Help
Whether or not you are looking for a holistic doctor or a medical marijuana doctor from Marijuana Doctors, sometimes the best resource is your current primary care physician. More often than not, doctors have networks that they are in where they can provide recommendations to specialists that are in your insurance plan.
The reason that talking to your doctor can be one of the best ways to find a specialist is that only they truly know the community that they are in. This may not always be the case so it’s best to ask ahead of time if they have a network that they refer out to.
Doctors are going to be able to tell you who is the best to go to and who isn’t. Sometimes, trusting who your doctor trusts can be in your best interest.
6. Do Your Research
Vetting doctors is not one of the easiest things in the world. Something that shocks many is the amount of research that has to go into finding a doctor.
Depending on your insurance and coverage, you may be limited to a specific set of doctors. If that’s the case, then here are some ways that you can see if they are a good fit:
7. Read the Reviews
If you have the resource of reviews, use them! They can be one of the best ways to find a quality doctor in your area. Without reviews, it can be difficult to see what the mass consensus is regarding a specialist.
8. Use Google Maps
Surprisingly enough, I have chosen many specialists based on Google reviews as compared to reviews within my insurance plan. Instead of searching by my plan, I found it much easier to enter what specialty I’m looking for into Google Maps and work from there.
When you pull up a specialist in Google Maps, not only are you potentially going to see where they work, but you can also see the reviews left by other patients. Google gives you a broader perspective than staying within an insurance search which can help you make a more informed decision.
Conclusion
Overall, finding a specialist takes time. Not only are you constrained by insurance, but there is also the knowledge gap that can happen too.
Talking to insurance teams, primary care physicians, and other people who are looking for similar specialists is some of the best ways for you to find a modern specialist to fit your needs.
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