Finding the best orthopedic surgeon can be very challenging, especially when you don’t know where to start. Ideally, you want a combination of all the right characteristics: attentiveness, expertise, compatibility, compassionate approach, and so on. While there’s no such thing as a perfect orthopedic surgeon, there definitely is one out there who is right for you.
Before you drown in a sea of websites, here are a few tips for properly researching and finding the best orthopedic surgeon in your area.
· Search according to location.
It helps to narrow down your search, according to orthopedic surgeons closest to your location. For instance, if you live in San Antonio, you can type in the search engine “best orthopedic surgeons in San Antonio,” or if you have location services turned on, “best orthopedic surgeons near me.”
Many patients choose their doctors according to convenience—and with a good reason. A conveniently located clinic saves you time and money, and you are less likely to miss appointments this way.
· Do a thorough background check.
Board certification is an excellent gauge of a medical provider’s expertise. To verify whether an orthopedic surgeon is board-certified and has also maintained the status, use the provider portal maintained by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons.
For a comprehensive background check, you can scour medical association websites for qualified surgeons with proper training and their educational background and degrees. You can also check medical review websites for any information about any malpractice sanctions and lawsuits an orthopedic surgeon may have faced.
· Gather important information from their website.
Browsing through orthopedic surgeons’ websites is an excellent way to obtain important information, such as their exact clinic location, their length of practice, affiliations, and whether they provide telehealth appointments.
Perhaps, one of the best features that you can refer to is the patient testimonials/reviews section, which gives you an insight into the doctor’s professionalism and approach to patient care. However, keep in mind that a doctor practicing medicine for decades is bound to have a few negative reviews. A lot of factors can affect a doctor’s star reviews. Use them as supplemental information—and not a deciding factor.
· Make an appointment.
Once you’ve drawn up a list of potential candidates and compiled all the necessary information about them, the next logical step is to call their clinic to set up an appointment.
This gives you an opportunity to get a firsthand experience of how the facility is run, the staff’s professionalism, and office culture. This is also the perfect time to ask your doctor questions, such as the following:
- What are my treatment options?
- What is your clinic’s/facility’s success rate for this procedure you are recommending?
- Can I delay surgery?
The Best Orthopedic Surgeons in San Antonio, TX
At the Center for Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, our dynamic team of orthopedic surgeons boasts a combined experience of over a century, each having an average of 30 years of experience in providing exceptional diagnostic and surgical care.
We collaborate as a team and utilize a patient-centered approach to make sure we consistently deliver the best patient outcomes.
If you have any questions about our services or would like to make an appointment with any of our highly qualified, experienced orthopedic surgeons, call us today at (210) 692-7400 or use our online request form.
