finding a doctor, ent, audiologist, etc.

[Hear Again]

hi everyone,

how did you end up finding your doctor, ent, audiologist, etc.? did you find them through the recommendation of a family member or friend? an internet search? are you happy with them or do you plan to change?

i found my doctor after my sister told me their office was located walking distance from my apartment. interestingly enough, although the location of their office has changed, i've been seeing the same doctor for the past 14 and a half years.

i came across my opthalmologist by contacting the local hospital and asking them if they had any opthalmologists on staff. i've been seeing the same opthalmologist for the past 2 and a half years and have been attending that same office for the past 4 and a half years.

i located my ci surgeon and current ci audi thanks to a recommendation from my former ent. i've been seeing my ci surgeon since 2004 and the ci audi since last year.

i found my therapist and psychiatrist because of a psychiatric hospital in my area who referred me to their office. i've been seeing my therapist and psychiatrist for the past year and a half.

i will be seeing my soon-to-be neurologist thanks to a recommendation from my doctor.

how about you?

 

[Oceanbreeze]

hi everyone,

how did you end up finding your doctor, ent, audiologist, etc.? did you find them through the recommendation of a family member or friend? an internet search? are you happy with them or do you plan to change?

i found my doctor after my sister told me their office was located walking distance from my apartment. interestingly enough, although the location of their office has changed, i've been seeing the same doctor for the past 14 and a half years.

i came across my opthalmologist by contacting the local hospital and asking them if they had any opthalmologists on staff. i've been seeing the same opthalmologist for the past 2 and a half years and have been attending that same office for the past 4 and a half years.

i located my ci surgeon and current ci audi thanks to a recommendation from my former ent. i've been seeing my ci surgeon since 2004 and the ci audi since last year.

i found my therapist and psychiatrist because of a psychiatric hospital in my area who referred me to their office. i've been seeing my therapist and psychiatrist for the past year and a half.

i will be seeing my soon-to-be neurologist thanks to a recommendation from my doctor.

how about you?

We found my primary doctor through word of mouth. From there, he gave me referrals to my rheumatologist and pdoc. The same goes for the surgeon who did my reconstructions after the two pressures I had a few years ago.

In the past, I got recommendations from the hospitals I was affliated with due to my long standing birth defect.

 

[Hear Again]

We found my primary doctor through word of mouth. From there, he gave me referrals to my rheumatologist and pdoc. The same goes for the surgeon who did my reconstructions after the two pressures I had a few years ago.

In the past, I got recommendations from the hospitals I was affliated with due to my long standing birth defect.

from what i've heard, locating a doctor by word of mouth is one of the best ways you can find one.

 

[Aleser]

I generally end up referred by another doctor (as in, my retinal specialist found me my new hematologist, or other such somewhat unrelated referrals), but I also will look up doctors through my insurances online covered doctor search. That way i know the doctors i call are going to be on my insurance and I can call their office and see if my first impression is good enough to go ahead and try a visit, or if needed, call my GP to refer.

I found an extremely nice and caring ophthalmologist through my insurances search. He's the rare breed that'll give you plenty of chair time and keep going through options to minimize the things they can't fix, rather than offering the 'you're on your own' deal and sending you off. Plus, he's my only dr that seems to understand that severe photophobia means severe photophobia, and that it's more than just an inconvenience for him during my exams.

On the flip side, a referral to a neuro-ophthalmologist from that dr ended me up with someone who was not very interested in me and generally discounted my problems. She seemed to imply that (even though my vision loss is diagnosed and proven by eye photographs and MRIs, without any doubt in the world) I couldn't really see as little as I said I did, so I must be imagining it, which was 'common for intelligent people my age.' I did not see her again.

So sometimes word of mouth or a trusted doctor's referral isn't best.

 

[Hear Again]

I generally end up referred by another doctor (as in, my retinal specialist found me my new hematologist, or other such somewhat unrelated referrals), but I also will look up doctors through my insurances online covered doctor search. That way i know the doctors i call are going to be on my insurance and I can call their office and see if my first impression is good enough to go ahead and try a visit, or if needed, call my GP to refer.

I found an extremely nice and caring ophthalmologist through my insurances search. He's the rare breed that'll give you plenty of chair time and keep going through options to minimize the things they can't fix, rather than offering the 'you're on your own' deal and sending you off. Plus, he's my only dr that seems to understand that severe photophobia means severe photophobia, and that it's more than just an inconvenience for him during my exams.

On the flip side, a referral to a neuro-ophthalmologist from that dr ended me up with someone who was not very interested in me and generally discounted my problems. She seemed to imply that (even though my vision loss is diagnosed and proven by eye photographs and MRIs, without any doubt in the world) I couldn't really see as little as I said I did, so I must be imagining it, which was 'common for intelligent people my age.' I did not see her again.

So sometimes word of mouth or a trusted doctor's referral isn't best.

speaking of opthalmologists, as a child my mother used to send me to a clinic that used to specialize in eye diseases. one of the opthalmologists there refused to believe that i had problems whenever my eyes were dilated (i.e. i experienced alot of pain and discomfort). if i had been older, i would have found a different opthalmologist. i currently see an opthalmologist who is part of a local hospital. two things i like about her are the fact that she only requires me to come back for an eye exam every 2 years since i'm totally blind and the fact that she is sensitive to the pain and discomfort i experience whenever my eyes are dilated. i refuse to see opthalmologists who are a part of a teaching/research hospital or clinic that specializes in eye diseases since some of them think they know everything. some of them also try to convince me of treatments they think will "cure" my blindness even though i have a retinal disease (retinopathy of prematurity) for which there is no cure. if i had to pick, i'd rather have an opthalmologist that allows me to live my life as a blind person instead of throwing all of these "cures" in my face. just because i'm blind doesn't mean i need to be "fixed."

 

[hohDougRN]

My physician I see is one I became good friend with at hospital who was very respectable soft spoken and honest person.

Audi was from trial until happy.

Other physician specialties I all know well IE my orthopaedic surgeon, from hospital contact and getting to know them personally and how they have good bedside manners to patients or not, and how respectful they treat nurses or other staff.

 

[Giulia]

Hello
My ENT doc took the office after hat my previous one retired. I like him very much, very honest and helpful.

I hate my current psychiatrist, and I plan to change. He is specialized with ADHD for children, teenagers and adults but he told me something very unprofessional for a psychiatrist. So I plan to change, but I don't have appointment with the new one before February 7th. So I don't know how do I manage for Abilify and Alprazolam.

 

[Hear Again]

Hello
My ENT doc took the office after hat my previous one retired. I like him very much, very honest and helpful.

I hate my current psychiatrist, and I plan to change. He is specialized with ADHD for children, teenagers and adults but he told me something very unprofessional for a psychiatrist. So I plan to change, but I don't have appointment with the new one before February 7th. So I don't know how do I manage for Abilify and Alprazolam.

i'm wondering if your new pdoc could answer your medical questions if you explain that you are switching pdocs and need information about your meds right away?

 

[Hear Again]

My physician I see is one I became good friend with at hospital who was very respectable soft spoken and honest person.

Audi was from trial until happy.

Other physician specialties I all know well IE my orthopaedic surgeon, from hospital contact and getting to know them personally and how they have good bedside manners to patients or not, and how respectful they treat nurses or other staff.

i guess having a good deal of "inside knowledge" definitely helps!

 

[Giulia]

i'm wondering if your new pdoc could answer your medical questions if you explain that you are switching pdocs and need information about your meds right away?

Hear Again
Thanks for your reply
I found a solution by going to my GP (for people who don't speak with acronyms : General Practitioner). So now I have enough meds
The new pdoc, I don't see him before February 7th...

 

[Byrdie714]

I had the unfortunate experience with an ENT....

Granted this doctor was the best in the Puget Sound area and is affiliated with one of the best hospitals in the region.

Yet.....his manner was rude, condescending and above all--arrogant.

I showed up to the ER under dire circumstances and he was the only one on call for ENT emergencies. He made an emergency surgery for my neck to clean out the infection of one of my lymph nodes and then two days later--decided he had to go back into my neck to clean it out more as well as take a biopsy of my lymph node.

I was not a happy camper....

After seeing him after the surgery for follow-up care--his office was a reflection off of him--cold.

After I got excused from his care--I never went back.

 

[Jiro]

I had the unfortunate experience with an ENT....

Granted this doctor was the best in the Puget Sound area and is affiliated with one of the best hospitals in the region.

Yet.....his manner was rude, condescending and above all--arrogant.

I showed up to the ER under dire circumstances and he was the only one on call for ENT emergencies. He made an emergency surgery for my neck to clean out the infection of one of my lymph nodes and then two days later--decided he had to go back into my neck to clean it out more as well as take a biopsy of my lymph node.

I was not a happy camper....

After seeing him after the surgery for follow-up care--his office was a reflection off of him--cold.

After I got excused from his care--I never went back.

yea - that's the price of having the best doctor in the area

 

[Hear Again]

Hear Again
Thanks for your reply
I found a solution by going to my GP (for people who don't speak with acronyms : General Practitioner). So now I have enough meds
The new pdoc, I don't see him before February 7th...

oh good! i'm glad you were able to find a doctor who was able to get you enough meds (and doesn't speak in acronyms like i tend to do!).

 

[Hear Again]

I had the unfortunate experience with an ENT....

Granted this doctor was the best in the Puget Sound area and is affiliated with one of the best hospitals in the region.

Yet.....his manner was rude, condescending and above all--arrogant.

I showed up to the ER under dire circumstances and he was the only one on call for ENT emergencies. He made an emergency surgery for my neck to clean out the infection of one of my lymph nodes and then two days later--decided he had to go back into my neck to clean it out more as well as take a biopsy of my lymph node.

I was not a happy camper....

After seeing him after the surgery for follow-up care--his office was a reflection off of him--cold.

After I got excused from his care--I never went back.

do i know what that's like. i was referred to a psychiatrist who i was told was the best in the city. after seeing her for the first time, i was less than impressed by her standoffish and insensitive personality. needless to say, i never returned. how she maintains her status as the number one psychiatrist in the city i have no idea except that perhaps it's only due to the patients she sees at inpatient psychiatric facilities.

 

[Jiro]

do i know what that's like. i was referred to a psychiatrist who i was told was the best in the city. after seeing her for the first time, i was less than impressed by her standoffish and insensitive personality. needless to say, i never returned. how she maintains her status as the number one psychiatrist in the city i have no idea except that perhaps it's only due to the patients she sees at inpatient psychiatric facilities.

doctor/specialist/surgeon is the best by being very successful in treating the patients... but the drawback is - they view patients as numbers.

however - if i am in a dire need of surgery that may or may not kill me... i want the best surgeon in USA... even if he's a complete asshole

 

[Hear Again]

doctor/specialist/surgeon is the best by being very successful in treating the patients... but the drawback is - they view patients as numbers.

however - if i am in a dire need of surgery that may or may not kill me... i want the best surgeon in USA... even if he's a complete asshole

true.

 

[Nika]

I found my most recent eye doctor through my friend. (I had 6 eye doctors at one point--not going to bother with them all.) But also with my fear of tonometry (airpuff test for glaucoma) he makes sure to give me a visual field test every time, since if you jump it can skew the results of the tonometry test. And also he is into holistic medicine, so he tells you to exercise and eat well before prescribing tons of medications. I used to go to him 4 times a week so I got to know him very well. I had a lot of fun discussing all kinds of eye problems with him!

My foot doctor I met through my boss. He is very good about not making you wait forever. The longest I've waited in his office was 20 minutes (compared to the 2 hours I've waited for some other doctors.) Also the nurses there are very nice, always asking me how my classes are going and how my eyes are doing, etc.

My psychiatrist was recommended to me by a psychiatrist friend of my parents. She is very good, specializes in my problems (PTSD and Depression) and has worked with a lot of Deaf (so she knows ASL), also blind, and also adopted before me. When I explained to her my body is very sensitive to medication (seriously even an Advil makes me sleep for days) she took me seriously and prescribed me 1/4 regular dosage of antidepressants. Other doctors have ignored this and made me pass out but not her! Turns out 1/4 dosage is plenty for me!

So far I really like all of my doctors. I have had some very, very bad experiences with doctors but right now it's going well so I'm happy.

I've noticed a lot of the "best doctors in the area" treat you with one foot in the door and the other out the door. Like their time is too good for you so you can't use up more than ten minutes. Never mind this is your health--their time and money is more important. Have you noticed that?

Also is it just me or do you feel like it should be the audi's duty to learn at least a little sign? I have heard of so many audis that don't know any sign language, which I think is ridiculous if they're treating a lot of Deaf/Hoh patients.

Sorry about the long post.

 

[Jiro]

I've noticed a lot of the "best doctors in the area" treat you with one foot in the door and the other out the door. Like their time is too good for you so you can't use up more than ten minutes. Never mind this is your health--their time and money is more important. Have you noticed that?

you know it's kinda ironic. But let's think about it - the "best" doctor.... which means many patients are waiting for him... which means he can't spare his time to chit-chat with each patient he checks up on. Makes you wonder why you wait as long as 2 hours, right?

so if he's the best... that means many patients want to see him... so think about what his appointment schedule is like.

so if he's the best... that means his treatment ACTUALLY works.... which means many patients continue to come to him and other new patients (thru referrals) come to see him despite of his arrogant attitude...

ironic, huh?

 

[Nika]

so if he's the best... that means his treatment ACTUALLY works....

I don't think I can even say that much.

One of the "best" doctors in the area left my eye problems undiagnosed for seven years. Why? Because he didn't believe me. He literally missed very obvious signs because he was so sure I was just seeking attention. As a result I was legally blind for all those years, failing school, being called lazy, etc.

So for me "best doctor" means very little. For me the "best doctor" depends on the condition you have, the approach you're looking for, the type of treatment you want, etc.

 

[Jiro]

I don't think I can even say that much.

One of the "best" doctors in the area left my eye problems undiagnosed for seven years. Why? Because he didn't believe me. He literally missed very obvious signs because he was so sure I was just seeking attention. As a result I was legally blind for all those years, failing school, being called lazy, etc.

So for me "best doctor" means very little. For me the "best doctor" depends on the condition you have, the approach you're looking for, the type of treatment you want, etc.

:-o SUE! SUE! SUE!