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