A Surgeons Surgical History

Hello “Tesla1” –

Seems you have visited several boards and asked the same question.  One of the simplest ways to find out is to call the hospital where the surgeon practices.  There should be a biography there listing his educational background and years in practice as well as his specialty.  I’ve often called the hospital and spoken to nurses who work with that particular doctor.  They are able to tell me what type of surgery the doctor specializes in and how many surgeries he/she performs on a yearly basis.  I would not want to have anyone “cut” on me that had not done at least 25 or 30 surgeries a year of the type that I might need.  I would also like to talk to some of his/her patients that might give a personal testimony as to how they fared under his/her care.  I have provided references below my name that have “patient evaluations” for that particular doctor.  Now mind you, is it not true that most of the time when a doctor does a good job, we fail to write a thank-you note.  Usually, we only protest when we feel we have not been well served.  So there will be both good and not-so-good patient reviews on the online rating links that I’ve mentioned below.

Below you can see some links to help you begin your search.  The USNews&World Health report has a comprehensive listing of hospitals and their rankings.  Hospitals are ranked according to their specialties.  For instance one hospital may excel in one type of surgery, whereas they don’t perform as well in another.  For instance, one hospital may excel in Gastroenterology but not well in Cardiac surgery.  So you need to “pick and choose” among the hospitals to see which ones rate at the top for the problem/cancer/ etc. that you are having.  Once you found one of the very best hospitals, if at all possible, I suggest you choose from among their participating surgeons.  Most insurance companies cover the cost of a SECOND OPINION.  So if you been diagnosed at your local hospital, or GP, you could start by asking where the best specialist for this particular problem can be found.  Then I would begin to search out the credentials of that particular doctor and inquire as to whether or not my insurance will pay for that Second opinion.  I always say, “close to home and familiarity with your local doctor” isn’t always the best way to choose a doctor. So maybe these links will help you find what you are seeking.

This type of search helps me to find what I am looking for.  If I really have lots of confidence in my doctor, I start by asking him/her who are the best doctors they know from whom I might seek a 2nd opinion.  That's where I begin my search, but not necessarily where I end it. 

1.  http://static.usnews.com/documents/health/best-hospitals/BH_Methodology_2016-17.pdf

2.  http://health.usnews.com/doctors/specialists-index

"Find a Doctor by Specialty

 3.  http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals

U.S. News Hospitals Rankings and Ratings

The U.S. News Best Hospitals analysis covers clinical specialties, procedures and medical conditions. Scores are based on data that include survival, patient safety, nurse staffing and other factors. Hospitals are ranked nationally in specialties from cancer to urology and rated in common procedures and conditions such as heart bypass surgery, hip and knee replacement and colon cancer surgery. Hospitals are also ranked regionally within states and major metro areas. An Honor Roll recognizes hospitals with outstanding performance across multiple areas of care.

Best Hospitals - Specialty Rankings

Cancer

Cardiology & Heart Surgery

Diabetes & Endocrinology

Ear, Nose & Throat

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery

Geriatrics

Gynecology

Nephrology

Neurology & Neurosurgery

Ophthalmology

Orthopedics

Psychiatry

Pulmonology

Rehabilitation

Rheumatology

Urology

See full rankings list >>

Honor Roll

•  #1 Mayo Clinic

•  #2 Cleveland Clinic

•  #3 Massachusetts General Hospital

4.  http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/using-doctor-ratings-sites#1

“RateMDs.com

Reviews: Patient ratings for doctors.

Rating format: A scoring system up to 5.

What you can find: A specialist near you, the gender you prefer, one that's accepting new patients, one that's rated.

Details you can see: When the doctor was last reviewed, number of ratings, average rating out of 5, educational background, hospital affiliations, languages spoken. The site also includes a link to the state board of medicine to get further information on a particular doctor.

What the rating is based on: Online patient-satisfaction reviews.

5.  https://www.ratemds.com/specialties/

“Medical Specialties

Discover health care providers by specialty and find out more about a wide range of physicians from Family Doctors and General Practitioners through to specialist care doctors such as Cardiothoracic Surgeons and Nephrologists…”

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6.  http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/using-doctor-ratings-sites#1

“Vitals.com

Reviews: Patient reviews of doctors and dentists

Rating Format: Four-star system including traits like promptness, bedside manner, and follow-up.

What you can find: A doctor or dentist by name, specialty, and condition to see what other patients have said about them. Vitals also spotlights doctors who consistently get high rankings with a badging system, such as People's Choice and Top 10 doctors. You can also find the doctor's credentials, locations, hospital affiliations, education, whether they are accepting new patients, and the insurance they accept.

What the rating is based on: Online patient-satisfaction reviews.

What you can do: You can look up a rating or add a review. You can use the 4-point ranking system to rate the doctor by promptness, accurate diagnosis, bedside manner, and time spent with you…”

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7.  http://www.vitals.com/specialties

The Vitals website is provided for your informational use only. Nothing contained or offered by, on or through Vitals should be construed as medical advice or relied upon for medical diagnosis or treatment. Vitals does not recommend or endorse any particular healthcare provider whose information or ratings appear on this website. We encourage you to read our full Terms of Service.
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8.  http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/using-doctor-ratings-sites#1

 “HealthGrades.com

Reviews: Doctors and dentists

Rating format: Percentage of patients that recommend the health provider. Each professional is ranked based on the criteria you selected for sorting.

What you can find: A list of specialists near you that you can sort based on what's most important to you. For instance, you can sort by quality and patient feedback, type of insurance they accept, distance from you, and the doctor's gender.

Details you can see: Directions and maps. How long health professionals have been in practice, their education and training, licensing and certification, how many office locations they have, hospital affiliations, what types of insurance they cover, languages spoken, and whether they are accepting new patients.

What the rating is based on: Online patient satisfaction reviews.

What you can do: You can look up a rating or add a review. You can rate the doctor's staff and wait time. You can also rate how well the doctor listens and explains medical conditions. The site uses a 5-star rating system…”

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10.  http://www.ucomparehealthcare.com/