How do you select a good physician? It's usually by reputation from former or existing patients, referrals from other doctors, or the yellow pages.

I've learned the hard way that many doctors interpret the Hippocratic Oath (do no harm) differently, and the quality of a doctor and how he/she interacts with you is a coin toss. Let me explain.

I've been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. A very strange type of PD. I don't have tremors or shake. The worst symptom I have is balance; a cane is necessary at times. I've improved substantially since I stopped seeing one of the area's top neurologists. I selected Dr. G. because he was listed in Phiadelphia Magazine (a highly respected local publication) as "......the Philadelphia area's top neurologist" and he was associated with an excellent suburban medical center. I began seeing Dr. G. every two weeks so he could assess my conditiuon and medication. I was very impressed with him, his staff and his patient relations. I trusted him implicitly. After about six months I began not feeling well and missed some appointmentns because I was afraid to drive. I began being confused at times and then came the hallucinations. I wound up in the hospital emergency room. When I told the ER doctor what medication I was taking, he was appalled. For example, in addition to other medication, Dr. G. had me taking three one milligram Permax per day. The preferred dose is .05 milligrams. The one milligram dose is so rare the hospital didn't have any so the ER staff nervously gave me twenty .05 milligram tablets at a time three times a day. The result of this massive dosage caused my balance to get to the point where I needed a walker constantly, increased confusion and other horrible occcurrances. I was slowly weaned off of all Dr. G.'s prescribed medication and my condition substantially improved.

Dr. G.'s waiting room is standing room only and his patients love him. He receives all glory, laud and honor from the medical community. Who would listen to my tale of woe and how would I make it known? I've made my experience known to Dr. G. and the president of the medical center. My letters were never acknowleged.

Is Dr. G. a good doctor?

I'll ponder a proper response to your post as time travels, but I had to say this first and straightaway: it is so good seeing you back on here, sir ! You've been mighty missed!

Thank you Gatz. And thank you to all who have welcomed me back. I'm wondering how I could be so stupid to ever leave such a special and caring group of people,

How do you select a good physician? I'm the last person in the world to answer that. I spent ten years with a GP who didn't know how to use a stethoscope. When I went to him with what turned out to be heart failure, he gave me antibiotics. When I became huge with oedema, he told me I'd had a self-resolving gastro-intestinal blockage and that he would refer me to a gastro-enterologist.

What are Dr G's patients like? Sometimes observing them is more interesting than observing the doctor. I ignored too many alarm signals to remember, but one was the praise of a patient who said how wonderful he was at diagnoses: that he knew what was wrong with her almost before she'd stepped into his room. And she thought that was a good thing?

I chose a new general practice only a mile away, and am happy with them, more by luck than judgment, although I learnt recently that my GP is also my cardiologist's GP, which seems to be a nice endorsement. I'd started looking at websites, and was impressed by most of them. They certainly made my old practice look steam-driven and rather mean-spirited. I think the receptionists are a good clue as well - are they pleasant, professional: are they there to help you or thwart you? do they answer the phone while you're talking to them? Good luck and I hope you find a new one who suits you and looks after you properly.

What I really came here for was to say how pleased I was to see your name here. We haven't communicated before, but I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts - and hope I shall continue to do so!

Beware of using success rates - a physician might be very good so gets the difficult cases & ends up with a lower success rate than a less scilled physician.

Unfortunately nowadays you often have to take things into your own hands and get a second or even third opinion. It's costly but in some cases imperative!

Living in Canada, my opinion will be different as often we are referred to Dr's who are specialists in that field.
Coming from a country with socialized medicine, we can seek a Dr's opinion outside of our city.
Is it possible for you to travel? Perhaps a teaching hospital in your area might be able to give you the information or the treatment you require?

My current physician’s leaving the family practice in less than a month to start his own practice, and I’m sad to say this, but I’ll likely wind up with another doctor at Family Medicine (it’s closer). Dr. Smith was (and is) very well-recommended, and I actually switched to hinm after my mother did. Now I may end up with… what was his name? Dr. N?

When I broke my leg and needed a bone surgeon, my mother chose Dr. D. (I refuse to even try to spell the full name.) All his patients liked him a lot, too. He uses all his own equipment, so we had to wait for the surgery while he ordered it. Plus, he explained things to Mom and I (something none of the other doctors were willing to do).

Dr. D.’s partner, on the other hand, Dr. A., was a horrible man to deal with. Brusque and… let’s just say he rubbed me the wrong way from the moment I met him (unfortunately, one of my friends has him, and as she’s “not dealing with a full deck,” I can’t exactly talk to her about her impressions/experience).

My physician (the one who’s moving) is seen by some as not very skilled as compared to other doctors (I forget the scientific term offhand). But he always takes the time necessary to converse with his patients and is very thorough before making a diagnosis (the way a doctor should be). For that reason, it can be a long wait—but that’s also why he’s so loved. He will be sorely missed by those who are no longer close enough to go to him.

Before my grandmother goes to a new doctor, she finds out whether my mother personally knows anything about him or her (it pays to have a relative working in health care).

On a couple of occasions I've had excellent advice - given in a slightly roundabout way - by other medics. (Of course, strictly speaking, I think they are not supposed to do that.

Over twenty years ago, when I moved to this part of the city, I quite simply asked my then GP, whom I respected. He replied, 'You be living about a mile from [such and such a practice]'. I took the hint, and his advice turned out to be excellent.

When my family doctor put me on vitamin D, he later told me that he takes it, too. That made me feel better about taking it.