How good is my doctor? Awards, acronyms, and anecdotes …Oh my

Choosing the right physician is critically important, but what are reliable markers for what makes a doctor good? And the award goes to… Physician recognition awards can be a funny thing. By funny I mean they at times have no real merit. I used to have an office at Somerville Hospital, and I recall receiving a letter in the mail stating, “Congratulations Paul G. Mathew, MD!!! You are one of the top neurologists in Somerville, Massachusetts.” The very official-appearing letter was accompanied by an order form for various certificates, plaques, and even Oscar-like statues that I could have purchased to display for all to see the “amazing distinction” that was bestowed upon me. The punchline here is that there are fewer than 10 practicing neurologists in Somerville, so to be declared “one of the top” is not all that flattering. The issuing company produces these “awards” in order to make a profit. Despite the lack of meaning behind these awards of recognition, there are some people who do buy these things to decorate their offices, which makes patients feel like they are seeing a great doctor. As a rule, any legitimate award should be issued by a physician group or medical society, rather than a publication company. In addition, the award should be merit-based rather than based on social media voting or some other subjective or random measure (like a doctor with an address in Somerville). In general, I hate waiting for anything when I have a scheduled appointme...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health care Managing your health care Source Type: blogs