When you think about it, the orthopedic surgeon you choose will have a major impact on your life in the future. This is someone you will trust to help improve your movement, mobility, and keep you up with (or return to) an active life. You know that finding a doctor with the requisite skills and experience is critical for the best results. But how do you spot a good doctor, and how do you even go about finding one? Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to make sure you find the best surgeon in Plymouth for your needs.
Choosing Doctors in Your Area
It’s important to remember that your first choice in a professional should be someone who is skilled in performing surgery on your specific problem area. For instance, you wouldn’t want to go to a surgeon who specializes in shoulder injuries if you need to have a knee replacement. You should also remember that the right doctor for someone else might not be the best fit for you. You should feel like you can communicate openly with your surgeon and get his or her honest opinions and feedback.
Getting Referrals
If you don’t know where to begin your search for a surgeon, it helps to get referrals from people you know. You may have friends, family members, or co-workers who have visited a local orthopedic surgeon in the past to have surgery and were quite pleased with their results. If you can’t get a firsthand recommendation, you may also want to ask your primary care physician or another one of your doctors if they can recommend a surgeon. There are also a variety of professional organizations that orthopedic surgeons belong to, such as the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Medical Association. Both organizations have directories where you can search for a surgeon by area of specialty and location.
Evaluating Credentials and History
When you go in for a job interview, your interviewer wants to know your employment history along with any accolades and achievements you may have. Similarly, you’ll want to gather the same information about your surgeon. It’s a good idea to find out what his or her area of specialty is, and how many specialized surgeries he or she has performed. If you’ll be staying in a hospital, it is also a good idea to check the hospital’s credentials, which can often be done online.
Choosing an orthopedic surgeon takes some time, and it’s important to find a doctor who you trust and who you know has experience in the type of surgery you need. If you are searching for a quality surgeon, look no further than Plymouth Bay Orthopedic Associates, Inc.! At our offices in Plymouth, Sandwich and Duxbury, we’ll be happy to tell you all about our practice and how we can help meet your surgical needs. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!