How do I Choose the Best Obstetrics and Gynecology Doctor?

Choosing an obstetrics and gynecology doctor can be a daunting task. There often are many doctors from which you can choose, and many doctors have the same or similar credentials. In order to choose one that is right for you, consider factors such as insurance coverage, his or her views on medical procedures, your personal comfort level with the doctor, the hospital where the doctor performs deliveries and other procedures and whether you will see this same doctor for these other procedures.

Ensuring that a particular obstetrics and gynecology doctor accepts your insurance might be one of the most important initial considerations when searching for a new doctor. For many people, this means that their office visits will cost them little to nothing and that their insurance claims are filed for them by the doctor’s office. Many insurance carriers' websites provide an Internet search tool to help you locate doctors that are in your area and that accept that type of insurance. Most carriers even allow you to search by specialty, thereby singling out the obstetrics and gynecology doctors in your area.

Talking with an obstetrics and gynecology doctor is important when you are trying to choose a new one. It is important to discuss important health views with them so that you are able to see whether you have the same views on things such as Cesarean sections, alternative forms of birth control or the use of medication. During this conversation, you might find that a doctor has a different view on a health issue that is very important to you, which means that you probably should continue searching for a doctor.

Another outcome of an initial conversation with a new obstetrics and gynecology doctor is the ability to see whether you have compatible personalities. You might find that a doctor has great credentials and comes highly recommended but you do not care much for his or her personality. There is nothing wrong with taking this into consideration, and you should continue your search for a doctor that has a personality more suited to your own.

Many obstetrics and gynecology doctors perform major procedures such as surgeries and deliveries in a local hospital. It would be wise to make sure that the hospital accepts your insurance and that you like the facilities. Some obstetrics and gynecology doctors belong to a pool of doctors who rotate being on call for after-hours procedures. Discuss whether you will always have your obstetrics and gynecology doctor for procedures or if you might have an on-call doctor at certain times. This might be a deal-breaker for you, or it might just mean that you need to visit with each of the attending doctors to get to know them better.