Selecting a Doctor

	How Do I Find the Best Doctor for Me?
	Ask these questions of your current physician to help confirm your comfort level with him/her. Take a copy of this list when looking for a new doctor to treat you. Decide what answers you will accept and which ones are automatic red flags. If at all possible, bring your spouse or friend to keep notes and help you stay focused on the medical interview(s). Remember, YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN CARE. YOU HAVE THE FINAL VOTE. Take care of yourself first. The following two questions should be answered before you visit the doctor. The information is available from your state or province Medical Association. Is the doctor Board Certified in his/her field of speciality? Where did he/she receive training? For the Endocrinologist: Do you have many patients with my type of problem? How Many? If the physician has seen many patients with this problem, then that is a positive sign. However, it gives no insight into the quality of their experience. Top Do you specialise in chromosomal variations? There are many areas of endocrinology. Verify your endo's speciality. How do you usually treat patients with my problem? How will you verify the karyotype ( if needed ). How will my hormone levels influence your decision on treatment? Will you monitor both free and bound Testosterone? Cholesterol? Red blood cell count? Prostate? Questions for ANY physician: What written information do you provide to patients with my problem? Where do you refer them for additional information? Are there new approaches to treatment of my condition? How did you hear about them? Is the doctor keeping up on things? There may or may not be new approaches but the response can give you a comfort level that the doctor is keeping up. Ideally, his/her information would come from literature or medical meetings, not from a pharmaceutical company representative alone. May I speak to some of your other patients with similar problems? Top He/She should have other patients willing to talk about their experiences and results. What is the single best treatment for most XXYs? It is generally acknowledged that hormone therapy, usually some form of testosterone, can be the single most important intervention. A physician that is not aware of that would not be experienced in dealing with 47,XXY. Psychological counselling? Other specialists? Medical Records Everyone should get copies as they go of their medical records and keep them organised in binders or file folders. Take that information with you to each appointment. Do NOT depend on your physician to track everything - that would be ideal, but in practise it is unlikely to occur. Some useful links: The Ohio State University Medical Centre has a useful and short eleven point list called Communicating with Your Doctor and a checklist for choosing a doctor. Return to News Return to Endocrinologist Top This page first created: May 24, 1999

How Do I Find the Best Doctor for Me?

Ask these questions of your current physician to help confirm your comfort level with him/her. Take a copy of this list when looking for a new doctor to treat you. Decide what answers you will accept and which ones are automatic red flags. If at all possible, bring your spouse or friend to keep notes and help you stay focused on the medical interview(s). Remember, YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN CARE. YOU HAVE THE FINAL VOTE. Take care of yourself first.

The following two questions should be answered before you visit the doctor. The information is available from your state or province Medical Association.

Is the doctor Board Certified in his/her field of speciality?
Where did he/she receive training?

For the Endocrinologist:

Do you have many patients with my type of problem? How Many?

If the physician has seen many patients with this problem, then that is a positive sign. However, it gives no insight into the quality of their experience.

Top

Do you specialise in chromosomal variations?

There are many areas of endocrinology. Verify your endo's speciality.

How do you usually treat patients with my problem?
How will you verify the karyotype ( if needed ).
How will my hormone levels influence your decision on treatment? Will you monitor both free and bound Testosterone? Cholesterol? Red blood cell count? Prostate?

Questions for ANY physician:

What written information do you provide to patients with my problem?
Where do you refer them for additional information?
Are there new approaches to treatment of my condition? How did you hear about them?

Is the doctor keeping up on things? There may or may not be new approaches but the response can give you a comfort level that the doctor is keeping up. Ideally, his/her information would come from literature or medical meetings, not from a pharmaceutical company representative alone.

May I speak to some of your other patients with similar problems?

Top

He/She should have other patients willing to talk about their experiences and results.

What is the single best treatment for most XXYs?

It is generally acknowledged that hormone therapy, usually some form of testosterone, can be the single most important intervention. A physician that is not aware of that would not be experienced in dealing with 47,XXY.

Psychological counselling?
Other specialists?

Medical Records

Everyone should get copies as they go of their medical records and keep them organised in binders or file folders. Take that information with you to each appointment. Do NOT depend on your physician to track everything - that would be ideal, but in practise it is unlikely to occur.

Some useful links:

The Ohio State University Medical Centre has a useful and short eleven point list called Communicating with Your Doctor and a checklist for choosing a doctor.

Return to News
Return to Endocrinologist

Top

This page first created: May 24, 1999