Need a Doctor?
article by Kate Lowenstein
Health, March, 2012: page 75
The article discusses how to find the right primary care physician (PCP), nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA) for one's family. According to "You Bet Your Life: The Ten Mistakes Every Patient Makes" author Trisha Torrey, having a regular doctor is important because it is a requirement for majority of insurance plans. It presents several steps in finding the right doctor, including consulting one's social network and verifying his/her credentials.
The full-text of this article is available for Alabama residents free of charge through the Alabama Virtual Library.
Local Medical Centers
If a doctor is on staff (or has admitting privileges) at a local hospital, the websites below will have some background on the physician.
- Huntsville HospitalThis locator also finds doctors at Madison Hospital, Athens-Limestone Hospital, and Decatur General.
- Crestwood Medical Center
Physician Information
The free online directories below provide background information on physicians across the country.
- Alabama Board of Medical Examiners & Medical Licensure CommissionYou may look up by name, location, or license number. Entries include age of physician, school, residency, type license, expiration date of license, specialty, and any restrictions placein the license.
- Alabama Board of Dental ExaminersThe ABDE provides two PDF documents on their website listing active dentists and active dental hygienists in the state.
- HealthGrades > Find a Doctor | Doctor Reviews | Hospital RatingsAccording to HealthGrades: "Consumers choose Healthgrades because we are America’s most comprehensive source of information on hospitals and doctors. A recognized expert in measuring healthcare quality, Healthgrades provides objective information on clinical outcomes, patient safety and patient satisfaction to help consumers make an informed decision on choosing care from virtually any hospital in the nation. Our physician profiles are the most current and comprehensive available."
- American Medical Association: DoctorfinderAccording to the AMA website, this database includes more than 814,000 doctors. Profile information includes specialty, hospital admitting privileges, health plan participation, medical school, residency location, certifications. I've had trouble using this website on Internet Explorer 9. If you have trouble, try another browser.
- American Board of Medical SpecialistsThis free service verifies the board certification status, location by city and state, and specialty of any physician certified by one or more of the 24 Member Boards. Site requires you to create a free account. I've had trouble using Internet Explorer 9 for this site. If you experience problems, try another browser.
- American Association of Neurological SurgeonsFind a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon. You may search by name, location, and/or speciality.
- American Dental AssociationFind members of the ADA in your community. You may search by last name and location; and you may limit by specialty.
- American Optometric AssociationYou may search for doctors by name, location, and/or specialty. You may also limit your search to doctors participating in the InfantSEE program. Profile includes location, school, language, and specialty.
- American Academy of OphthalmologyAllows you to search by name, location, and/or specialty. Profile includes location, type practice, specialty, education, and residency.
- Top Doctors (U.S. News & World Report)U.S. News & World Report has created a database of a few thousand of the "top doctors" in America using a peer nomination process. You can search by specialty and/or location. You can also get data on specific hospitals.
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