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Choosing Your Own Path
Even a simple diagnosis of needing to see a cardiologist can be alarming. You were referred to a heart specialist by your primary care physician, as is common for most patients. How can you find the best cardiologists in Houston for you? Here are some tips.
1. Ask for Referrals
It is possible to obtain a referral from your primary care physician. You can also ask family members and other healthcare providers for recommendations. You can research the doctors’ credentials and experience at Healthgrades.com. When you have narrowed your list, call each cardiologist’s office to arrange a consultation.
2. Make Sure the Doctor is Qualified.
A doctor’s board certification is an important component of the selection process, as it certifies competence, skill, and experience in cardiology. Verify the cardiologist has never been disciplined or found to be negligent. Healthgrades.com and state websites provide information about a physician’s medical school, training hospital, certifications, malpractice history, and disciplinary history.
3. Consider the Cardiologist’s Experience.
When it comes to the health of your heart, experience matters. It is likely that your treatment results will be better if your cardiologist has experience with your condition or procedure. Fellowship training in a particular subspecialty is also beneficial. Your cardiologist may be able to tell you how many patients he has treated with the same condition as yours. The number of procedures your cardiologist has performed as well as the number of complications he or she has experienced should be discussed with him or her.
4. Consider Gender When Selecting a Doctor.
Your cardiologist will need to discuss personal information with you, so you should feel comfortable with his or her gender. You should ask the cardiologist about his/her recent training and experience if you have a specific condition or gender. Some hospitals have specialized women’s heart centers that treat women with heart disease and identify risk factors. Cardiologists are increasingly specializing in treating women with heart disease.
5. Research on Hospital Quality.
A hospital run by doctors is a hospital run by patients. Keep this in mind when choosing a hospital where cardiologists can treat patients. Quality matters to you, so make sure your hospital of choice receives fewer complications and has a higher survival rate. A hospital within walking distance might have different patient outcomes, so you should do your research. It is also important to consider how important the location of the hospital is to you. If you require tests or treatment, you want your hospital room to encourage treatment rather than discourage it.
6. Find out How you Communicate.
Your cardiologist should be someone you are comfortable talking to and who you feel can provide you with information. Be sure to ask your cardiologist a question and pay attention to their answer. Do they answer your questions in a way you can understand? Find a cardiologist who listens to your concerns, takes your treatment preferences into account, and respects your decision-making process.
7. Read Patient Reviews.
By reading what other people have to say about a doctor, you can gain insight into how they run their medical practice. Typically, patients’ reviews are based on how they feel about scheduling appointments, waiting times, the office environment, and the staff’s friendliness. Find out what people think of a doctor’s level of trust, how much time he or she spends with patients, and how well they answer questions.
8. Research your Insurance Coverage.
The coverage you have on your insurance matters in practice. For the best benefit and lowest out-of-pocket costs, you may need to select a cardiologist who participates in your insurance plan. You should consider credentials, experience, outcomes, and hospital quality when choosing a cardiologist from your health plan.