Hi Starz,

I think I have said this before, so please forgive me if I am repeating myself.

I sure wish we could "interview" potential docs before we have to pay to see them for an initial visit and exam. (Only to find out that they are not a good match for us.)

Even with referrals from others, a doc that "fits" one patient, may NOT be a good "fit" for another for all sorts of reasons.

If we could write up a brief questionnaire and have the potential docs respond, we could weed out some that do not meet our needs right off the bat. Then, with the remaining ones, we could do a face to face interview. Just like a job interview.

We ARE asking them to work for us and we are going to be paying for their services, right?

Shopping for a doctor is an awful task to undertake. So many times we "settle" for someone that will do,.... but we are not really satisfied with, ... simply because we can't afford to shop and insurance isn't going to foot the tab for it.

If others are anything like me, .... I have a few particular things that I look for in a doc that is very important to me. Some other things are of less importance and I can live with or without.

Not that anyone cares, but I will mention one of the BIGGEST things that matter to me. Is the doctor willing to PERSONALLY talk to me on the phone? I don't want a doctor that will only speak to the patient face to face in an exam room and never at any other time. I do not expect a doc to "take a call from me" when I phone, but I DO expect THEM to call me back, not the nurse, the receptionist, some other staff member. If I had wanted to speak to someone else, then I would have ASKED to speak to someone else. When I want to speak to my doctor, I want to speak to HIM/HER. I despise the 3rd party back and forth as things always get mixed up and a lot of questions do not get answered.

I don't mind waiting until the end of the day when the doc has finished seeing patients to get the return call, but I want the person on the other end of the phone to be my doc.

If it were something that someone else could handle, I wouldn't be asking to speak to the doctor in the first place.

THAT is my number ONE requirement I have for a doc,.... that I get to speak to HIM.

Keep in mind that I do not like to call a doc and will ONLY make a call when it is absolutely necessary so that is why I don't want to speak to another person instead.

I have one doc that gives his patients (ALL of his patients) his personal cell phone number and tells them to call him directly. Oh, how I hate to avail myself of that because I am always afraid that I will call him at an inconvenient time. I would prefer to leave a message with someone to have him call me at HIS convenience.

It is just the back and forth with a 3rd person that drives me up a wall.

Wishing you the very best in your quest to find someone that "fits" you.