What do you look for when choosing a doctor?

Bedside manner, knowledge & humour.

I like a doctor who will listen to me. One that will find my warped sense of humour funny & believe me when I say I am in need of medical advice or help. A doctor who explains WHY I am like this & not just write out a script & not care if I never return.

When I moved I visited 4 doctor's surgeries before I found one I was comfortable with. Some people may think that is silly but if I am going to put my life & the lives of my children in someone's hands I want them to be my type of person, not just an anybody.

I have been having injections for 3 years for allergy desensatising. Every month now I go for what I call "have a chat to someone of intelligence". He calls it is "inflicting pain upon patients that he doesn't get to do very often". My doctor is my type of person : )

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A good Doctor has following points..

*His social or communication skills with the patients which constitutes both verbal and non-verbal (body language) communication...As our profession is a Community Service.

*He should be a role model (a doctor who tells his/her patients to quit smoking should not be seen smoking outside the hospital 5 minutes after the patient leaves.. where's the intergrity in this right?)

*He should be able to communicate in a way the patient understands (not going off on the properties of amino acids... etc. etc) as this may come out as arrogance

*He, IDEALLY should follow up on his patients ... give them phone calls to see how they're doing

*The doctor should be WILLING TO TEACH!!... this goes along very well with preventive health care. The doctor should give the patients the fishing rods, rather than the fish. If a doctor knows how to teach his/her patient what to do and what not to do, the doctor will be able to help the patient change his lifestyle for the better so that the patient doesn't have to keep coming back.

*>And last but not the least he must be INTELLIGENT, UPDATED, And Most Of all ETHICAL.

Dr Suraj A K

Before choosing a permanent doctor, i search the Doctor on the internet and try to find reviews. If the reviews are all positive, I go to their office and do paperwork to make a file there. During my first check up, I examine the certificates on the wall and make sure they're authenticated and belong to the doctor. Doctors are licensed and are recorded by the federal government (well at least here in Canada), so i give the office a call and ask for info. Doing all this, iv'e been seeing the same great doctor for over 15 years! I've also done this for my children too.

Hope i helped!

First I check to make sure my insurance is accepted there. That significantly narrows my options, always. I try to get a doctor that has close connections with the local emergency room, (since that is where I'd need them most + file sharing, etc.), speaks english fluently, and sees eye to eye with me on religious issues (in that s/he had damned well keep her/his religious hangups out of my medical treatment/care/decisions. I am aware that doctors can now lie to patients, and even maintain their license after they've been convicted of assault, rape, and some other undoctorly crimes.) I also make sure they are involved in either a network, or some serious strategy to ensure patients are seen within a timely fashion. The office/hospital must be clean. Bedside manner is important, but I'll take a rude competent doctor over a nice sub par doctor any day. If I wind up (in a reasonable amount of time) in good health, with no long term damage, I'm satisfied.

On the first appointment, i need to interview the doctor, just as he's interviewing me. Are we compatible or does he/she seem a wrong fit for me and my family needs. Is the doctor easy to talk to and give reasonable answers, or is the doctor too rushed to spend a few minutes with me, to answer my questions. I also ask around the doctor's office location for input from other patients.

Your doctor should be considered your friend in times of illness, if not, then get a new doctor.

1: Location: Is your doctor close to where you live in case of emergencies or when you just don't want to travel long? Can they also come to you when you are not mobile? Can you access your doctor with public transport/car/walk easily? Is there a parking lot?

2: Personal preference: Do you want a male or female doctor? Do you find it easier to talk to an older doctor or a younger one? Do you prefer if you have the same cultural background? I know this may seem minor but it is important to find some sort of similarity between yourself and the doctor. Doctors are humans too and the more you have in common with them or the more you can relate to them the happier they are to treat you. Not all doctors are like that though.

3: Opening times: Does the opening times of the hospital suit you? Is it 24/7 public/private? 12 hour public/private? Can booking be flexible or do you have to give notice 24 hours or 48 hours in advance when you want to cancel?

4: Testing out: It is natural to sign up to what you think is the best doctor for you just to try it out. However if you have doubt, don't try it out because it is probably true that your instincts might not want you to. BUT if it is for a minor thing you are visiting your doctor for, don't be afraid to try it out.

5: Money: Is it affordable? How much does it come to travel with petrol/public transport? How often would you see them?

6: CREDENTIAL: This is VERY important. Don't just trust what it says on the website (even my eight year old niece can create a website nowadays). It may seem tedious to do but searching online, asking your local police, asking patients and so forth can go a long way! You don't want to end up having a dodgy doctor who uses black market drugs or an inexperienced one who has to read the back of every prescription he hands you. Even worse if you are having a body scan or laser eye surgery, you DON'T want someone reading through the manual while they operate/test you.

Those are the steps I take personally. I hope it helps. :)

See how clean the office is. Seriously. If you've got a great doctor that forgets to wash his hands when he comes in the room or office looks dirty, run the other way. Also, look for an office with nice nurses because they will be the gatekeeper when it comes to getting your prescriptions, etc. I just left an office where I loved the doctor but her nurse was so hateful (when the doctor walked out of the room), I had to find another doctor.

Eventually I will dump my Dr.'s. The reason why is because she doesn't really examine any more like she used to. I hurt my arm and not once did she feel the joint or suggest an xray. I had an ear ache and she didn't look in my ear. The list goes on.

She used to be so thorough.

Chiropractor is a little better but I think he really milks my situation instead of fixing it. I know because I have had good service from him before. Instead of taking 5 or less visits it is now more than 8 for the same things.

Location, reputation, attitude, ethnicity. Ethnicity? You probably think i'm racist but I hear that a majority of a certain ethnicity are outstanding doctors, of course everyone who is a doctor can be but I'm extremely paranoid and would like someone whos best in every field and that I can rely on to put my mind at ease.

Someone who does not judge and seems very understanding to listen and sort your problem out as a priority.

Location is also a factor, living in the UK I don't have to travel a tremendous ammount, but if I did, I would reconsider getting a different doctor.

Price, I don't live in the states and have the NHS to thank for alot of operation and diagnosis, but I would imagine that price is one, if not the most important factor here.

A doctor who listens. Many doctors think they know it all and don't really care about what you have to say.

The way I see it, If a doctor is making money off of me, that doesn't just make me a patient, that makes me a customer. I expect to be treated like a paying customer should be treated anyplace else when I visit the doctor.