Merritt Personal Lines Manual: Choosing the Right Doctor

Whatever type of plan you choose, you will need to select a doctor, whether it's from a network list, a preferred list or on your own. If you are in a managed care plan, ask your plan for a list or directory of its providers - they may also offer help in choosing a doctor that's right for you.

Once you have the names of doctors who interest you, you should check them out. The AHCPR provides the following list of suggestions:

• Ask plans and medical offices for information on their doctors' training and experience.
• Look up basic information about doctors in the Directory of Medical Specialists, available at your local library. This reference has up-to-date professional and biographic information on about 400,000 practicing physicians.
• Use "AMA Physician Select," which is the American Medical Association's free service on the Internet for information about physicians (http://www.ama-assn.org).
• Find out whether the doctor is board certified. Although all doctors must be licensed to practice medicine, some also are board certified. This means the doctor has completed several years of training in a specialty and passed an exam. Telephone the American Board of Medical Specialties at 1.800.776.2378 for more information.
• Find out if any complaints have been registered or disciplinary actions taken against the doctor. To find out, call your State Medical Licensing Board.
• Find out if any complaints have been registered with your State department of insurance. (Not all departments accept complaints.)
• Set up a "get acquainted" appointment with the doctor. Ask what charge there might be for these visits, if any. Such appointments give you a chance to interview the doctors - for example, to find out if they have much experience with any health conditions you may have.