Get Better Healthcare: Research Your Doctor

Do you know how to research your doctor?

Selecting a new doctor requires more than picking a name off your insurance provider’s list. Location, availability, bedside manner, and experience can be the difference between receiving quality care or feeling like you aren’t getting attentive, skillful treatment – or, worse, being the victim of medical malpractice.

Here are some some sources of unbiased information so you can research your doctor and ensure that you’re being taken care of by the best.

US National Library of Medicine

  • MedlinePlus will walk you through the entire process of researching your doctor. And because MedlinePlus is part of The National Library of Medicine, it’s free.
  • If your doctor claims to have published research in medical journals, you can check the facts for free on PubMed.gov.

Sanctions and Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

  • HealthGrades lets you lookup information like sanctions, malpractice lawsuits (settled only), and board actions. HealthGrades is free for patients and makes money via advertising, including ads from hospitals and doctors.

Board Certifications

  • Find out if your doctor is licensed to work in your state on the Federation of State Medical Boards website, which is also free.
  • If you’re looking for a specialist, start with the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) certification site. The ABMS is a national not-for-profit service that offers free online searches as well as phone and email queries.

Prescribing Information

  • ProPublica’s Dollars for Docs free database lets you find out how much a doctor has been paid by drug companies in 2014. It also lets you know how they rank against others in their area in terms of money received.

Other Ways to Research Your Doctor

  • RateMDs allows you to search doctor reviews for free. Both patients and doctors can add comments to listings. This site is supported by advertising, including doctors’ ads.
  • If you like your current doctor, ask him or her if they can recommend someone in another specialty or another location.
  • One of the least high-tech but most-trusted methods of researching a doctor is word of mouth. A firsthand review can often be more informative than what you find online, so ask your friends and family for recommendations.

If you’re looking for a new doctor because you received negligent medical care, it may be time to contact our medical malpractice lawyers.