The search for the right doctor

[Brat]

Is there any reason why you can't go to a center of excellence? Confidence in your surgeon can make a huge difference.

 

[John Galt III]

Is there any reason why you can't go to a center of excellence? Confidence in your surgeon can make a huge difference.

Brat, Thanks for the suggestion. I did a search on *center of excellence* and got some interesting results.

 

[Brat]

I was facing some serious, for me, surgery a couple years ago and spent a long time on the internet researching surgeons up and down the west coast who had expertise in my problem. With a little digging you can often find university videos of lectures on a subject on the web.

My community is blessed with health care providers who graduate, intern, or complete their residencies in Portland and don't want to leave. There were several viable options so no need to travel, but if the best in the west were in the Bay Area that was here I would go.

 

[Bamaman]

My next door neighbor is an anesthesiologist, and she knows which doctors are the best with certain surgeries. She will not tell me who to use unless I mention their name. She will tell me the names of the doctors not to use, however. It's trial and error.

In our medium size city, it's common knowledge who the best doctors are for specialized procedures. I want the surgeon that does that surgery every day, all day long.

 

[Sunset]

Ask friends and family, search the names online and read the reviews. Some are very complete and detailed.
Folks I know who had knee replacements wondered why they waited so long in lots of pain before doing it. Each one of them could walk once again more than 20 feet without agony.

 

[sunnysideup]

These old knees were killing me so I went to my GPs recommendation suggestions
Lose weight, limit walking and shots for my knees; the shots are a kind of lubricant.

The shots
I arrive at his office and am shown into one of the many exam rooms. The nurse walks in with two needles, two band aids and two cotton swabs. The doctor walks in and sprays my knees with a freezing solution... Bam under 4 minutes we are done. He billed like $500 for the procedure. I needed 3 doses about 10 days apart. The final dose was given by the PA as the doctor was busy. Doctors words of unsolicited wisdom "you know Ray it's just some plastic and metal.." A guy with bum knees doesn't need to hear that.

Sadly it didn't work then we leaned the doctor billed me an extra $400. It took my wife a month and half to get the money back. My plan has been to lose weight I've shed more then 15lbs and I'd like to lose another 15 then find a surgeon.

The question is how do you find the right doctor- I'm not impressed with my current billing machine.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

I'm sorry the shots didn't help you but they are magic for me. I've been getting them for over 12 years and they are the difference between dealing with extreme pain and using a cane. I feel lucky that these types of drugs exist because I suffered for 5 years before they came out. They gave me a normal life again.

Yes that is what all the Orthopedic docs charge for the shots. I have had 3 different docs and one charged $1100 a visit. The drug itself is $300 a pop.

I empathize since knee pain s**cks, and I hope you find relief from your pain, but I can't blame the drs for the charges. It's our broken healthcare system.

 

[LinCella]

That's an extremely expensive injection!