HEALTH BEAT 1-1-2003

Meetings & Conventions: Short Cuts January 2003
January 2003
Short Cuts:
HEALTH BEAT

Checking Up on Doctors

You wouldn’t think of choosing a hotel or caterer without doing some investigating and getting recommendations, but how many of us bother to check the credentials of our physicians or medical specialists?

It’s not as daunting as it sounds. The Web has a number of resources designed to help patients even busy ones get the scoop on medical professionals.

The American Medical Association has a search engine at www.ama-assn.org/aps/amahg.htm. Type in a doctor’s name or area of expertise to verify membership in the AMA. The site also shows where the doctors went to school and in what field they concentrated. Also helpful:

•www.fsmb.org has links to states’ medical licensing boards and www.docinfo.org offers, for a fee, information on disciplinary action against physicians.

•www.abms.org, the Web site of the American Board of Medical Specialties, provides data on doctors in 24 specific disciplines. It also offers a straightforward, jargon-free FAQ section that walks users through the basics of evaluating a doctor.

• Martha Cooke