It's important that you work with a diabetes doctor that you are comfortable with and whom you can trust. Remember that treating and managing diabetes can be a lifelong endeavor and you will need all the proper care and information in order to help keep you as healthy as possible. To find the right diabetic's doctor who will be the perfect fit for your needs, here are some things that you should keep in mind:
The most important choice you should make when you're looking for a diabetes doctor is your primary care physician or PCP. This is the person who will be overseeing your health care and making requests for your tests and treatments. He or she will be responsible for making recommendations about preventive care and will also be the first health care professional who will be providing you with answers regarding your concerns and inquiries.
Your PCP could be any one of these health care professionals, provided they hold a board certification and relevant credentials:
Family Practice or General Physician. She takes care of the overall health of patients; may or may not have experience dealing with certain diseases or conditions including diabetes.
Internist. She takes care of adult diseases and illnesses; may have specializations in any disorder in the heart, blood, lung, kidneys, etc.
Can also provide general care.
Pediatrician. This is the PCP of choice if the patient is a child or teenager.
Geriatrician. She provides health care for older adults, either for general care or for internal medicine.
Obstetrician/Gynecologist. This is a specialist in women's health.
Know Your Health Care Team
Diabetes may require specialized care, depending on your condition. Your PCP may refer you to another health care provider or you may opt to work with your PCP to add people to your team. This is often the case when there are changes in your health care needs.
Know What to Ask your Diabetes Doctor
When you're looking for a diabetes doctor, it's perfectly polite and normal to get in touch with a few before making your choice. During your selection process, you can also get in touch with them through the phone for an interview.
During your first visit, make sure to inform your doctor about the details of your lifestyle and health history. You might also ask if he has training or experience in treating patients with diabetes and if he does, ask how many patients of his are diagnosed with the disease. You can also ask if he can refer other health care professionals in case you will need a health care team. Your first visit is also a good time to tell your doctor about your fears and concerns. If you have health insurance coverage, it's only practical that you first check with your insurance company about which doctors are covered by your medical insurance plan. If you're employed, check with your Human Resources or employee's benefits department. This is an often overlooked area in health insurance because many of today's insurance plans limit the choice of doctors and most beneficiaries fail to check this information beforehand.
If your choice of diabetes doctors is limited, you will have to consider only those on the list the insurance company provides. Your primary care physician will then refer you to other specialists and health care providers who can provide you with the right kind of care. This way, you will still be covered by your insurance policy.
If your insurance plan does not limit your choice of diabetes doctor, you can search for your own physician through referrals from family, friends and colleagues. You can also get in touch with local medical societies and associations or check the Yellow Pages. If you want to check your diabetes doctor's credentials, you can do so at the American Medical Association website at ama-assn.org. To learn about his or her board certification, you can go the American Board of Medical Specialties website at certifieddoctor.org.
The most important choice you should make when you're looking for a diabetes doctor is your primary care physician or PCP. This is the person who will be overseeing your health care and making requests for your tests and treatments. He or she will be responsible for making recommendations about preventive care and will also be the first health care professional who will be providing you with answers regarding your concerns and inquiries.
Your PCP could be any one of these health care professionals, provided they hold a board certification and relevant credentials:
Family Practice or General Physician. She takes care of the overall health of patients; may or may not have experience dealing with certain diseases or conditions including diabetes.
Internist. She takes care of adult diseases and illnesses; may have specializations in any disorder in the heart, blood, lung, kidneys, etc.
Can also provide general care.
Pediatrician. This is the PCP of choice if the patient is a child or teenager.
Geriatrician. She provides health care for older adults, either for general care or for internal medicine.
Obstetrician/Gynecologist. This is a specialist in women's health.
Know Your Health Care Team
Diabetes may require specialized care, depending on your condition. Your PCP may refer you to another health care provider or you may opt to work with your PCP to add people to your team. This is often the case when there are changes in your health care needs.
Know What to Ask your Diabetes Doctor
When you're looking for a diabetes doctor, it's perfectly polite and normal to get in touch with a few before making your choice. During your selection process, you can also get in touch with them through the phone for an interview.
During your first visit, make sure to inform your doctor about the details of your lifestyle and health history. You might also ask if he has training or experience in treating patients with diabetes and if he does, ask how many patients of his are diagnosed with the disease. You can also ask if he can refer other health care professionals in case you will need a health care team. Your first visit is also a good time to tell your doctor about your fears and concerns. If you have health insurance coverage, it's only practical that you first check with your insurance company about which doctors are covered by your medical insurance plan. If you're employed, check with your Human Resources or employee's benefits department. This is an often overlooked area in health insurance because many of today's insurance plans limit the choice of doctors and most beneficiaries fail to check this information beforehand.
If your choice of diabetes doctors is limited, you will have to consider only those on the list the insurance company provides. Your primary care physician will then refer you to other specialists and health care providers who can provide you with the right kind of care. This way, you will still be covered by your insurance policy.
If your insurance plan does not limit your choice of diabetes doctor, you can search for your own physician through referrals from family, friends and colleagues. You can also get in touch with local medical societies and associations or check the Yellow Pages. If you want to check your diabetes doctor's credentials, you can do so at the American Medical Association website at ama-assn.org. To learn about his or her board certification, you can go the American Board of Medical Specialties website at certifieddoctor.org.
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