Chapter 42

How to Find the Best Doctor

In a perfect world, you'd have the perfect doctor, who treats you as an intelligent couple, has plenty of time, infinite wisdom, low fees, is totally honest yet compassionate, has a conveniently located clinic and understands your emotional as well as medical problems. While you may never find such a doctor, you need to keep your picture of your ideal doctor in your mind when you are looking for the physician of your choice.

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You can find a doctor through:

  • Professional referral. Ask any doctor you know for suggestions.
  • Friends, other infertile patients, and infertility support groups.
  • The yellow pages can also serve as a useful source of possible names if you need to make a comprehensive list.

You can phone the doctors on your list. Although it may appear unorthodox, "telephone shopping" can provide you with a lot of useful information about an individual doctor's practice, including details of clinic timings, fees, qualifications, hospital attachments, special interests. After all, if you are willing to research which travel agent will give you the best deal on a holiday trip, then isn't it worthwhile researching into whose hands you are going to put your life in? You can learn a good deal about the doctor and his practice, even before you actually meet him, by merely telephoning and asking the right questions.

While it is true that many mediocre doctors flaunt posh clinics, the setting in which the doctor functions can reveal a lot about him. Is the clinic located in a decent building? Is public access easy? Has the doctor bothered to provide the basic amenities you need (e.g., drinking water, comfortable seating)? What kind of reading material is kept in the waiting area? (Old and torn magazines should qualify as a negative mark. Patient educational literature and current issues of health magazines indicate that the doctor respects your waiting time and wants to use it to educate you). Are the office staff members helpful? How do they answer the telephone? How do they treat other patients? You can learn a lot about a doctor and his practice from the personality of his employees: remember that efficient, caring physicians tend to hire competent, friendly personnel!

While selecting a suitable doctor can be difficult, try to find answers to the following questions:

  • Credentials - training and qualifications.
  • Skill and experience.
  • Accessibility (locations; clinic timings).
  • Affordability (fees).
  • Professionalism.
  • Does he prepare for your appointment?
  • Explain records and test results?
  • Keeps appointments and values your time?
  • Manage an efficient clinic?
  • Review your status and progress periodically?
  • Personality and style.
    • Does he talk to you? Take time to listen to what you have to say?
    • Does he show empathy and compassion?

A good infertility doctor will usually:

  • involve both husband and wife in consultations, discussions and planning.
  • offer recommendations and choices. Since there are no "right" answers, he should allow you to choose your own course of action.
  • tailor testing and treatment to your emotional needs and budget.
  • have time to answer questions and offer support.
  • chalk out a treatment plan for you, with a discussion of rationale, alternatives, costs, time limits and expected success rates.
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Credits: How to Have a Baby: Overcoming Infertility