Tag Archives: choosing a doctor

Helping Your Teen Find the Right Doctor

Does your adolescent see a pediatrician? Does he or she see your adult general practitioner? Adolescents have unique health care needs that may need a special doctor. Here are some tips to help you and your teen find the right doctor. Look for an adolescent specialist. This is a pediatrician who has extra training in the issues that can affect teenagers — everything from acne to eating disorders. You’ll have to look hard, though: less than 500 adolescent medicine specialists were certified between 1996 and 2005. Make sure your teen gets some alone time with the doctor. Starting between the … Continue reading →

Alternative Medicine and Your Doctor

Alternative medicine is gaining in popularity. It comes in all sizes, shapes and colors. As we learn about it’s diversity and benefits, more and more Americans are giving it a try. Let’s face it, as a whole we’re a very unhealthy bunch. We are beginning to recognize that, and some of us look for more “natural” ways to reclaim our bodies than others. Most people, I think, try to strike a balance between the medical world and our alternative worlds. The bad part is we don’t always tell our medical doctors what else we are doing and vise-versa. That can … Continue reading →

Why I Love My Doctor

Pardon me if I get a little over-emotional here; I’m currently running a fever and taking steroids to help ease a viral skin infection. But not everybody loves their doctor. Here’s why I love mine. He takes his time. We spent at least a half hour in the exam room, going over my various symptoms. (I went in with a mysterious rash on my arms and legs that hasn’t been helped much by treating it as an allergy with Benadryl and hydrocortisone cream.) He has a great sense of humor. This one may not be as important to you as … Continue reading →

A Patient Bill of Rights

In 1998, the US Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry adopted the following bill of rights. You can read the full report here or just get the highlights below. Sometimes we feel helpless or confused at the doctor’s office… this Bill of Rights can help give you the confidence you need to ask the questions that need asking, and fight for better health care for yourself and your family. Information Disclosure You have the right to accurate and easily understood information about your health plan, health care professionals, and care facilities. If you and … Continue reading →

Interviewing Your Child’s Doctor

When it comes time to pick out your child’s first doctor, it is important to find someone who is compatible with your beliefs, personality type, needs, location and insurance. An interview is a fundamental way of collecting information before venturing into a relationship with your child’s future doctor. Research: You will want to carefully consider what it is that you look for in a doctor in order to narrow down your search. Some parents prefer a Family Physician so they can all see the doctor together and for the continuity of care this provides. Others feel more comfortable with a … Continue reading →