How to pick a doc?

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BBC
BBC Member Posts: 1
edited June 2015 in Just Diagnosed

Hi,

I'm the type of person that likes to examine all the options before making a choice. I'm lucky enough to live in an areas with lots of good options and have health care with wide coverage. While I am very grateful that there are good "problems" to have. I am very lost on how to make a decision on the right doctor.

Seeing as time is of the essence, what are the most important factors I should be considering when making a choice in doctors?

Are there advantages of university hospitals? Advantages to a doctor in private practice?

I am in the DC area - any recommendations would be very appreciated.

Thanks so much!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited June 2015

    Hi BBC-

    We want to welcome you to our community here at BCO. We hope you find this to be an informative and supportive place!

    While we're sure many of our members will chime in with their tips and advice, we want to direct your attention to our Resources forum, where many members have posted about doctors and programs that they recommend (and some they don't!). It's chock full of great information: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/26.

    We think the most important thing to keep in mind when you're looking for a doctor, is that this is a person who will you essentially be entrusting with the care that will save your life, and you will be spending lots of time with them, so being comfortable and feeling safe and secure in their presence is a must. Confidence in their abilities is also of the utmost importance!

    Take some time to peruse the Resources forum when you have a chance; there's a good probability that other members have made recommendations for doctors in your area!

    The Mods

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  • DaisyQ
    DaisyQ Member Posts: 123
    edited June 2015

    BBC,

    I suggest looking for an NCI comprehensive cancer center. I think Georgetown has one. My experience here in St. Louis at Siteman Cancer Center has been excellent!

    Am

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  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited June 2015

    I asked everyone I knew who had any link to medicine….former cancer patients, doctors, nurses….one doctor's name kept coming up and I made an appointment with him. Hated him and went to see more after researching. Just because you get a referral doesn't mean they are good. Sometimes it's just people who are in the field know them. You could even post a question on here asking for referrals. People do that all the time. Go into the area of the the category you need. Ask for the type of doctor and post your area in the name so people who live around there will give you names. Good luck.

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited June 2015

    I agree with NCI if you can do it. If you are asking about a surgeon-- consider picking a breast cancer specialist who spends all of their days doing these surgeries. Expert is best....

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  • bride
    bride Member Posts: 382
    edited June 2015

    BBC,

    The University of Maryland is a NCI designated cancer center. Johns Hopkins is a NCI designated comphrensive cancer center -- that's the highest rating NCI gives and there are only 14 comphrensive cancer centers in the U.S.. I'd definitely go to a NCI center, they have far greater resources than any private practice does. I traveled 150 miles round trip (and still do now that I'm being seen every 2 months) for over a year, averaging at least a visit every couple of weeks. I can say that it was definitely worth it for me.

    Wishing you the best,

    bride

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited June 2015

    NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. Here's a list: http://www.cancer.gov/research/nci-role/cancer-cen...

    You can always take the information you get back to local docs for treatment if you're at a distance from them, and they might even be able to recommend someone in your immediate area -- a former resident, etc. Away from university settings, local docs usually practice general surgery or general oncological surgery or general oncology, and IMO, there's just no way they can be as up on bc as those docs who specialize in bc 24/7, including teaching & research.

    If you're interested, my bio pages tells my experience with both (local & NCI), and since I wrote that in 2008, nothing has changed my opinion. I still see a lovely local onc for on-going followup, but I consider my UCLA onc (3 hrs. away) my lead onc, and the one I look to for advice and direction re. my current tx. (((Hugs))) Deanna

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  • treelilac
    treelilac Member Posts: 245
    edited June 2015

    Sometimes people pick from the NCCN cancer centers. There are overlaps with the NCI designated ones. I imagine NCCN participants are more into (for the lack of words) "practical" aspects of things since they suggest the care guidelines.

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