Finding an Orthopedic Doctor
As a personal injury law firm, our clientele consists exclusively of persons with broken bones, torn ligaments or tendons, herniated discs or other injuries caused by an accident. Our lawyers are frequently asked by our clients to recommend a qualified doctor for treatment. While declining to recommend a specific doctor, we do not hesitate to advise clients to seek treatment with that branch of medicine specializing in injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedics, in short.
Chicago Offers Choices Among Orthopedic Doctors
By its very nature, orthopedics is a surgery specialty, though more conservative treatment will also be offered, such as physical therapy, medication, or injections. Chicagoland is blessed with an abundance of highly skilled orthopedic surgeons, located either in teaching hospitals like Northwestern Memorial Hospital, University of Chicago, and Rush Medical Center, or affiliated with private group practices like Illinois Bone and Joint, or Midland Orthopedics.
Choose an Orthopedic Doctor Specialist
A patient should exercise care in selecting an orthopedic surgeon. You will want to be seen by a doctor who specializes in treating the same part of your body that is injured. Orthopedic sub-specialties include injuries of the spine, hands, arms, shoulders, knees, hips and feet. The obvious advantage in seeing a specialist is the level of experience and knowledge that specialists offer. Additionally they are likely to keep abreast of new advancements in the field. Knowing that your doctor has performed hundreds if not thousands of the same procedure that you require may alleviate any fears you have of "undergoing the knife". You should feel free to ask your doctor what his/her success rate has been with your type surgery.
Board Certified Orthopedic Doctor
You will want to check that your orthopedic surgeon is board certified. Following successful completion of medical school, and another 3-5 years (or more) of residency, a doctor still has to pass another test in order to become board certified, a test advanced by a group of doctors practicing in the same specialty area of medicine, and demonstrate hands on skill, in order to become board certified.
There are currently some 24 medical specialties, from internal medicine to cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology to orthopedic surgery. You can easily check to see if your doctor is board certified by going to the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons website. If your doctor is not board certified you may want to ask him/her why not. Have they ever sat for the board exam? How many times?
Orthopedic Doctor in Good Standing
You may also want to learn whether your doctor has ever been disciplined by going to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation website. Once there, click on the "Select a Profession" pull down menu, go to physician, and type in the doctor's name you are considering.
Orthopedic Doctor a Good Fit with You
Lastly, when meeting with your orthopedic surgeon, you may want to assess the personality fit between the two of you. Some doctors are more sensitive to the feelings of their patients than others. Some can be notoriously domineering or arrogant. There are good orthopedic surgeons across the personality board. Whether one or another is right for you depends on what you are looking for. Though injured and in pain, you are still a consumer of services. You have every right to treat with an orthopedic surgeon that best meets your needs.