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"There are shit doctors and great doctors, but they all have one thing in common... the Dr. preceding their name!" I usually look at a doctor's reputation, exp
by Hydraulix989 10y ago
"There are shit doctors and great doctors, but they all have one thing in common... the Dr. preceding their name!"
I usually look at a doctor's reputation, experience level, education, publication, etc. as signals for "quality." It CAN vary drastically, as in, one doctor might overlook a diagnosis or even mis-diagnose something that another, more experienced doctor would catch correctly.
- aladoc99 10y agoEvery one of these proposed quality signals is prone to error. Publication history I would see as a negative quality signal. Less experience means more likely to be up-to-date on latest treatment techniques and algorithms. Reputation in the "Best Doctor" survey sense usually correlates with years in practice more than actual quality. The best indicator, in my experience, is to ask a nurse at that hospital who they would send a family member to for that specific problem. Even board certification does not hold great discriminatory power, in my experience. Analysis of these indicators would make for a worthwhile research project, but the more beneficial project would be to try to identify and disseminate those behaviors that form mechanisms of quality.
- turbulents 10y agoThe latest Freakonomics podcast addressed this issue as well: http://freakonomics.com/podcast/bad-medicine-part-3-death-diagnosis/ http://freakonomics.com/podcast/bad-medicine-part-3-death-di...