| Finding the right arthritis specialist is
| |
| | with 100% accuracy. Diagnostic ultrasound
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| extremely important since arthritis not
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| | is also much less expensive than magnetic
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| only can cripple you but it also can
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| | resonance imaging (MRI).
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| significantly shorten lifespan.
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| | 7. They should have completed at least
|
| I give a lot of talks and the questions I
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| | 100 clinical research studies. Physicians
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| hear a lot are: "I went to an arthritis
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| | who have extensive clinical research
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| specialist and they weren't anything
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| | experience are much more attuned to the
|
| special" or "How do I find a good
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| | latest therapies than those specialists
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| specialist?"
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| | who don't perform clinical research.
|
| Let's make a distinction here... there's
| |
| | 8. A specialist should have published at
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| a big difference between an arthritis
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| | least 50 papers in the medical
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| specialist and an arthritis expert. To
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| | literature.
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| get the best results you want an expert!
| |
| | 9. How many Google citations does the
|
| A specialist is just somebody who passed
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| | expert have? Nowadays, more and more
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| the board exam. An expert is someone who
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| | people are getting their information from
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| not only passed the board exam but who
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| | the Internet. The mega search engine,
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| has also devoted his or her life to
| |
| | Google, probably has the best ability to
|
| becoming the best in their field. They
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| | search for experts. The number of
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| publish articles, they do research, they
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| | citations a doctor has tells you how much
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| are focused on top-notch patient care,
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| | he or she has invested in time and effort
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| and they make it their life's work to do
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| | to help with patient education and
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| their best to help people who have
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| | further their specialty. It stands to
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| arthritis.
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| | reason, the more they write the more
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| And when it comes to your health, you
| |
| | knowledge and expertise they possess. To
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| better find someone who is tops!
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| | see how many citations they have, just go
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| Otherwise you're wasting your time and
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| | to Google, put in the expert's name in
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| money.
| |
| | quotes, like this, "nathan wei" and then
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| 1. Board certification. Board
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| | the word "arthritis", so it looks like
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| certification is no guarantee. However,
| |
| | this...
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| if a doctor isn't board certified that
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| | "nathan wei" arthritis.
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| should send up a red flag.
| |
| | If you get fewer than 500 citations, that
|
| 2. You want someone who has been in
| |
| | person is not an expert. Remember, not
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| practice at least 20 years. Medicine is
| |
| | all specialists are experts. It's like
|
| like most skills...the more experience a
| |
| | any profession. There are good ones,
|
| specialist has the better. In 2001,
| |
| | there are bad ones, and there are truly
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| medical errors accounted for 97,000
| |
| | great ones. In fact, there are doctors
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| deaths in the United States and there's a
| |
| | who are pretty terrible. That's right.
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| direct correlation between lack of
| |
| | They're terrible. Why? Because they don't
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| experience and medical errors.
| |
| | know their specialty and they don't have
|
| 3. Look for these initials after the
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| | good patient skills. Do you really want
|
| MD...a.F.A.C.P. This stands for Fellow of
| |
| | to be stuck with a lemon? If you have
|
| the American College of Physicians. This
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| | arthritis, a potentially life-changing
|
| means the doctor has academic
| |
| | disease, don't you think it's best to see
|
| credentials-they've published papers and
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| | an expert?
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| are respected as an authority.b.F.A.C.R.
| |
| | 10.What is their staff like? Even a great
|
| This stands for Fellow of the American
| |
| | physician needs a great support staff.
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| College of Rheumatology. This means that
| |
| | 11.Do you get the feeling they care? A
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| they are at least board eligible or board
| |
| | good practice will make you feel like
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| certified.
| |
| | family.
|
| If they don't have FACP as well as FACR,
| |
| | 12.Are they part of your insurance plan?
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| they're not an expert.
| |
| | This is a trick question. The very best
|
| 4. Arthroscopy is an important skill.
| |
| | experts don't let their decisions get
|
| It's the ability to look inside the joint
| |
| | made by the insurance company. Your
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| with a small telescope and diagnosis and
| |
| | health is the most important possession
|
| treat. Ask if the arthritis specialist is
| |
| | you have. Don't you want a physician who
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| a member of the Arthroscopy Association
| |
| | is going to be working for you and not
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| of North America? These are the most
| |
| | for the insurance company? Medical
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| skilled arthroscopists in the world.
| |
| | decisions affecting your health should be
|
| 5. Do they have in-house laboratory,
| |
| | made with your well-being - not the
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| x-ray and bone density equipment? If they
| |
| | insurance company's bottom dollar-- in
|
| do, ask if their lab is high complexity
| |
| | mind! Most real experts divest themselves
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| and certified by the state as a reference
| |
| | of insurance companies because they do
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| lab.
| |
| | not want their judgment clouded by
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| 6. Do they have diagnostic ultrasound?
| |
| | pressure from insurance companies and
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| This is a new technology for visualizing
| |
| | they have the reputation that allows them
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| joint disease. It is used to detect
| |
| | to do that.
|
| evidence of early inflammation and also
| |
| | If you found this information valuable
|
| to follow the effects of medications in
| |
| | and would like to know more, you can get
|
| slowing the disease process. The use of
| |
| | a copy of our free Consumer Awareness
|
| diagnostic ultrasound allows the
| |
| | guide.
|
| physician to perform joint injections
| |
| |
|
