No doctor will tell you outright whether he/she has been disciplined or had one or more malpractice judgments issued against him/her. The only way to find out, is to ask or research the surgeon or physician yourself.

Free Doctor Information

Is there such a thing as free doctor information? Absolutely; you can find free doctor information by contacting your state medical board or by browsing online. The question is, how much information can you get for free and how accurate will it be? Most state medical boards do not charge; however, most (if not all) offer limited background information on doctors. Very few establishments (less than a handful) specialize in providing information relating to doctor's credentials. That's why it's important to find out how credible the company is, and what type of doctor-related information they offer.

Doctors' Credentials

Just by looking at a doctor's credentials will not guarantee you will receive high quality health care. However, you can use several important criteria to find an experienced well-trained physicians or surgeon.

Tips:

• If your are looking for a specialist, make sure he/she is board-certified in his/her respective field of specialty.
• Make sure no disciplinary actions has been instituted.
• Look closely at malpractice judgments, and how many have been brought against the practitioner (more than three is not good)
• Find out if he/she is fellowship-trained in their specialty field. This-is usually a good sign.
• Look for hospital affiliations or membership affiliations; the more there are, the better.
• Physician or surgeon has been practicing medicine five years or more.
• Research to see if they have teaching responsibilities at any hospitals etc.
• Look for a physician or surgeon who has been practicing medicine for five years or more.
• Research to see if they have teaching responsibilities at any hospitals or other medical institutions
• Find out how much of the physician's practice focuses on the medical condition/surgery you request.
• Find out if the physician/surgeon has any awards, or is involved in his/her community.

Research a Doctor

How do I research a doctor? The Internet is loaded with many sites which claim to have information about doctors' credentials information. And yes, most of them do; however, you want to make sure you get more than just a doctor's license number and contact information. For more comprehensive information, consider contacting the following sources.

• Your local library
• Your state medical board
• The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), a non-profit organization comprising 24 medical specialty boards.
• The medical society relevant to your intended physician or surgeon's field of specialty.
• American Medical Association , if a member

Bottom line

Every physician or surgeon has a different background of experience and training. The more research you conduct into this background, the more it will increase your chances of finding a health-care provider who will satisfy your medical needs.