Finding the right specialist rheumatic very important because not only arthritis can be crippling, but it can also significantly shorten its life. I give a lot of talk and the questions I often hear is: “I am a specialist in arthritis and they are nothing special” or “How do I find a good specialist?” Let us make a difference. . . there is a big difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis specialist, expert. For best results you want an expert! An expert is someone who passed the exam board. An expert is someone who has passed not only the Board exams, but also for his life for the best in their field. Published articles, they research, they focused on the primacy of patient care, and they make their lives work, do their best to help people who have arthritis. And when it comes to your health, you should find someone who tops! If not, you can waste time and money. 1. Board certification. Board certification is not guaranteed. However, if a doctor’s certificate is not on the ship, which should send a red flag. 2. You want someone who is in practice for at least 20 years. Medicine is like most of competency. . . More experienced specialists have, the better. In 2001, medical errors accounted for 97,000 deaths in the United States and there is a direct correlation between lack of experience and medical errors. 3. Seeing as these initials after MD. . . a. This stands for FACP Fellow of the American College of Physicians. Namely, his doctors have published academic papers and respected as the authority. b. FACR This stands for Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology. This means that at least board eligible or board certified. If they do not FACP FACR, and they are not experts. 4. Arthroscopy is an important skill. This is the ability to see into the joint with a small telescope and the diagnosis and treatment. Ask if the specialist is a member of rheumatic Arthroscopy Association of North America? This is the most capable arthroscopists in the world. 5. Had a home in the laboratory, X-ray and bone density equipment? If they do, ask if a certified laboratory with high complexity and the state as a reference laboratory. 6. Is diagnostic ultrasound? This is a new technology for the visualization of the joints. It is used to detect early evidence of inflammation and also to take effect in slowing the development of drugs for the disease. The use of diagnostic ultrasound, the doctor can cause injection together with 100% accuracy. Diagnostic ultrasound is also much cheaper than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 7. You must have completed at least 100 clinical trials. The doctor who has extensive clinical research experience is much better to make the latest therapy than specialists who perform non-clinical research. 8. A specialist must have at least 50 newspapers are published in the medical literature. 9. Like many quotes Google is an expert? Today, more and more people getting information from the Internet. Mega-search engines, Google, has probably the best way to find experts. The number of citations has a doctor who tells you how much he has the time and effort to invest in patient education and specialized training to help them. This is, the more they write, the more knowledge and know-how in order to determine how many citations they see, just go to Google, set up on behalf of experts in quotes like this, “Nathan Wei,” and then the word ‘arthritis ‘, so it seems. . . “Nathan wei” arthritis. If you have less than 500 citations received, that the person concerned is not an expert. Remember, not all experts expert. It’s like any profession. There are good, some bad, and there are really great. In fact, there are quite horrible doctor. That’s right. They are horrible. Why? Because they do not know their specialties, and they do not have good patient skills. Do you really want to do with lemons? If you have arthritis, a potentially life-threatening illness has changed, you know, it is best to see a specialist? 10. What is their staff from? Even a great doctor who takes a large support staff. 11. Did you get the feeling that they care? Good practice, you’ll feel like a family. 12. Are they part of the insurance? This is a trick question. The best experts can not base decisions received from the insurance. Your health is the most important treasure is. Do not you want a doctor who will be for you and not for the insurance? Medical decisions, your health, you should be with the welfare – not insurance companies, Bottom Dollar made – in your head! Most of the real experts get rid of insurance companies, because they will not be disturbed on the assessment by pressure from insurance companies and they have a reputation that they will allow. If this information is valuable and want to know more, you can obtain a free copy of our Consumer Awareness cause. Contact Michelle at aocmd @ aocm. org