How does one find one?

Be careful about making defamatory comments

by crustyg - 2020-03-17 19:16:25

This is an open forum, indexed by the major search engines.

You may feel that what you've undergone wasn't good, but stating it here with named persons could lead to a lot of difficulties.  Other docs may choose not to have you as their patient.

The best

by AgentX86 - 2020-03-18 10:18:10

One of the keys is the number of the same procedures the MD has done.  This information, sorta, is available from Medicare.  It's not complete because it only quantifies Medicare payouts, which non-Medicare procedures wouldn't be included.  Also, the billing may be under another organization.  It's a good start (I've forgoten the site righ tnow).

I've found the best information for local doctors came from my PCP.  He was (until ObamaCare forced him out of business) plugged-in to all of the best specialists in the area and could get his patients prioity. IHe pointed me to my orthopedist, rhumatologist, and cardiologist, who then referred me to the best thoracic surgeon and EP in the area.  He went outside his group (before ObamaCare foced them to sell out, to the same hospital) to refer me to the EP, though they had one on staff.

A really good PCP is priceless.  Unfortunately, the problem is finding one of them.  The last one I went to was useless. He doodled the whole time I was in his office.  He was about as dumb as a stump, too.  Q:"What do they call someone who graduated at the bottom of his Medical School class?" A:"Doctor."
 

PCP

by Dave H - 2020-03-18 11:26:37

Yeah, Agents last paragraph was on the mark.  In 2017, the PCP I was seeing looked at my blood work and after I brought up the subject of my blood sodium number of 128 mEq/L (Normal is 135 to 145 mEq/L) his response was "Yeah, it's kinda low." and did nothing to address the issue. A week later, when my number dropped to 124mEq/L, big time hyponetremia set in and I went crazy. Low sodium will cause your brain cells to swell but, there's no place for them to go 'cept maybe out your ears. BTW: my comment about a TCAI Doc was due to his being afflicted with the narcississtic personality syndrome and the comment a highly regarded cardiologist (who has since retired) who stated: "You know, that TCAI Doc who ignored your NSR heart rate of 125 for four months and offerred no treatment is the primary cause of you developing a cardiomyopathy."

Cardiomyopathy

by Dave H - 2020-03-18 13:24:29

BTW: For more info (that I wasn't smart enough to do at the time) about the dangers of a normal sinus rhythm tachycardia go here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tachycardia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355127

finding an EP

by islandgirl - 2020-03-18 15:16:00

My EP says EPs should be members and active with the Heart Rhythm Society.

Hey Swangirl

by Dave H - 2020-03-18 15:55:04

I'm an original Medicare enrollee with an "F" supplement so, places like Mayo and others are open for me.

Mayo

by AgentX86 - 2020-03-19 14:24:16

But, like TCAI, just going to the Mayo Clinic doesn't guarantee you of the best.  It should be better than East Nowhere but...  TCAI is considerd by many to be the premier heart hythm hospital but, in your experience, that means little.  Mayo or Cleveland likely have the same problems (and they're really known for other heart issues). 

Like colleges, some have high rankings but perhaps aren't as great at the subject you've chosen as a lower ranked school.