Interviewing potential doctors

Doing a background check on doctors you might use isn’t enough. You need to interview each candidate. Here are some questions to ask:

• What insurance do you accept?
• Are you board certified? I you are, which board and which speciality?
• Where did you go to medical school?
• How long have you been in practice?
• Which hospitals do you use? Are they accredited?
• What are your office hours?
• Who covers for you when you’re not available?
• How long does it usually take to get a routine appointment?
• How long is the typical office visit wait?
• Will I have to pay if I cancel an appointment?
• Does your office send reminders about prevention testing?
• What do I do if I need urgent care or if there’s an emergency?
• Do you or your physical assistant or nurse give advice over the telephone?
• Do you use electronic records?
• Do you have a website on which I can manage appointments or get access to some of my records?
• What routine services do you provide in your office?
  • Laboratory services?
  • Imaging?
• How can I reduce or eliminate some of my medications?
• Are the supplements I’m taking effective?
• Am I up to date on all the routine testing, screening, and vaccines I should be doing?
• What else could I be doing to stay healthy?
• What are the next steps I should take? What plan should I follow?
• How frequently do you perform the procedure we’re considering?
• What are the risks of the procedure we’re discussing?
• What is the recovery process and time for this procedure?