Seriously, how do I find a good doctor?

seriously

I have been struggling for years to find a good doctor.  Internist/family medicine/whatever ... I need a go-to doc.

My current GP is a nice enough guy, and he hears me when I need to tell him things, but I don't always feel like he is listening.  It feels like I have to figure things out and then get him to agree with me.  I can generally get him to try/test what I'm thinking, but it is too much work to do so, and he often takes me down the path of the "infliction of the month".  By this, I mean that he tends to get fixated on conditions and then rationalizes why it may be my issue with only a single data point.  At least, this is how it seems from my perspective.  Last time it was pre-metabolic syndrome, when there isn't a single case of diabetes in my family, I am very fit, and there is no evidence other than a slightly high uric acid number on a single blood test without a previous baseline number to compare.  

I have been pouring through reviews on healthgrades, google, and anything else I can get my hands on.  The problem seems to be that I don't really know how to find what I want, or if what I want is a single source provider.  I want a doctor that can deal with the basics of allergies, infections, and basic illnesses.  I also want a doc that can handle (or willingly refer) secondary hypogonadism (low T from a lack of pituitary activity) and help with sports injuries.  I want someone who will explore correlations of hormones and symptoms of ADD-inattentiveness.

Unfortunately, it seems that all I can find in terms of reviews are comments about timeliness and if the doc listens or not.  I have asked other people extensively about their docs and nobody seems to be able to recommend a good one.  I am willing to drive an hour each way to find the right one.  Heck, I would pay a serious finder's fee to get the right one!

What am I doing wrong?  The only thing that I can think of at this point, is to try to cull out the top 3 docs (based on online reviews) that are accepting patients and try to do a phone interview with them.  I don't know if this is something that works, but I am at my wit's end here.

I know there are a lot of people with experience in the medical field or have struggled with some of these things too.  I could really use your input.  What can I do to make this easier?

Angeline

I feel your pain. No sooner do I find a doc than they stop taking insurance, move across town (which in my city is equivalent to moving to a new state), or have kids and cut their hours in half, so that it's months to get an appt. Hoping to see some good info here.

JellyBean

I suggest finding someone in your area who does integrative medicine.  Integrative practitioners are often more open to HRT for optimum health and usually have a good feel for which other MDs in the area will be receptive to your other issues.

seriously

JellyBean said:

I suggest finding someone in your area who does integrative medicine.  Integrative practitioners are often more open to HRT for optimum health and usually have a good feel for which other MDs in the area will be receptive to your other issues.

Thanks for the "key words".  So far, I am only finding results for acupuncture and holistic medicine in my surrounding area.  Is that what integrative medicine is?

Serenity

Look for anti-aging docs. They tend to get at the root cause of problems, rather than simply throwing a prescription your way. Google 'anti-aging doctor' + <your zip code>.

The downside is that the good ones don't usually accept insurance, and you normally pay out of pocket. 

Prices I see typically range from $200-300 for a one-hour appointment. A lot of times your insurance will cover the lab work as long as you use their designated lab, which makes it more affordable. 

http://hightmarriage.com/finding-the-right-doc/

John3

+1 for Serenity's advice.  I also had good luck asking at my pharmacy which doctor was regularly prescribing T-treatment therapies (more than one) in our area.  I ended up finding a family med doctor who has a great deal of experience with it, and who takes care of everything else as well.

JellyBean

You might also considering looking for a local compounding pharmacy. Call and speak to the pharmacist to ask who prescribes bio identical hormones. 

wanderingTheDesert

A number of my friends use naturopaths, with very good results. Since they don't typically take insurance, there's no pressure to follow insurance company rules.  They seem to look at the bigger picture. Not one to be a believer in acupuncture, chiropractic and natural medicine, I'm planning a visit for myself soon. 

JellyBean

@seriously Integrative medicine means a practitioner utilizes aspects of western medicine and naturopathic or alternative styles to help patients achieve their health goals. 

Ideally a practitioner of any kind will base his practice on evidence-based medicine. I am a voracious consumer of medical and dental journals, and I am routinely surprised by studies showing lack of evidence to support commonly accepted practice, and loads of evidence to support practices that are considered more fringe or alternative. 

"Wellness" is a somewhat fuzzy term but essentially it means practices that support optimum function and health.