February 2006
How to Choose a Gynecologist Who Best Suits Your Needs

By Adelaide Nardone, M.D.

As a practicing gynecologist for the past 20 years who understands how awkward an annual exam can be for some women, I often stress that it’s very important to find a gynecologist you can feel comfortable and relaxed with. Take your time when choosing this very important doctor. If you’re in a new community, ask a neighbor or speak to friends and ask for referrals. Whomever you choose should have excellent credentials, have a good “bedside manner,” and show a sincere interest in your health and well-being.

Most importantly, you should be able to openly and honestly discuss your feminine and sexual health history and current practices, and be able to respond candidly to questions, ranging from sexual partners to disease prevention, birth control practices and other health habits, such as smoking and drug use. If there is an air of discomfort on this level, you may leave out important information that can have a major impact on your feminine health.

If reimbursement is important to you, a good and practical place to begin looking for a gynecologist is in the provider list that your health insurance offers in its handbook. If a physician is listed, this indicates that your health plan will cover most services that you obtain through this doctor, including an annual preventive exam. You can also be reassured that most insurance companies go through a fairly strict screening process before they allow doctors on their provider list. If you stay within your plan, your out-of-pocket expenses for medical care are usually limited to a co-pay for office visits and procedures (depending on the type of plan you have).

If you think that you may require a surgical procedure or admission to a hospital in the near future, and you prefer a certain hospital, you can call your hospital of choice to get the names and numbers of gynecologists through their Physician Referral Service, which most reputable hospitals offer.

You should also check the doctor’s credentials on your own to see if he or she is Board Eligible or Board Certified, which means he/she has fulfilled the clinical and testing requirements in their field of expertise and has been elected as a member of that particular board. The Internet is an excellent resource for this type of research. One such industry board, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (www.acog.org), offers an online search tool to find a doctor in your area. In addition, you can also research a physician’s history of lawsuits and disciplinary actions through the National Practice Data Bank-Health Care Integrity and Protection Data Bank at www.npdb-hipdb.com.

Word-of-mouth is still one of the best referral methods. If you have a female friend or relative whom you trust and who is very happy with her gynecologist, this is certainly a better way to choose a physician than via the yellow pages or the Internet.

Here are some additional tips for choosing the best OB/GYN for you and for making the most of your first visit:

1. Your age and reproductive needs should be considered when selecting an OB/GYN. For example, if you’re considering pregnancy in the near future, be sure your doctor delivers babies (and is board certified in obstetrics) and is part of a group offering complete coverage. If you are post-menopausal, you might want to consider a practice or gynecologist that no longer delivers babies and is more focused on the post-reproductive years.
   
2. If you know that you need a particular surgical procedure, be sure your doctor has been trained to do it and is well versed in the procedure. Some medical practices can do most tests and procedures under one roof, which can be helpful if your time is limited.
   
3. Although you may feel your doctor is sometimes too busy or rushed for your questions, it’s important that you address them. So that you don’t forget, make a list of health concerns that you want to share with your doctor Be sure to go over the list BEFORE the doctor examines you so that the appropriate cultures/tests can be obtained during the exam. If you are concerned that you may have a sexually transmitted disease (STD), then tests can be performed during the internal exam.
   
4. Check to see if the doctor’s availability is suitable for your schedule. Some patients prefer early morning visits while some need to come after work. Be sure there is some flexibility in both of your schedules so you can schedule a visit within a reasonable amount of time.
   
5. Get to know the staff at the doctor’s office. If you have a good rapport with them, your encounters at the office will be more pleasant.

In addition to Dr. Nardone’s advice, below are some Web sites that can help you choose and improve your relationship with your doctor:

The National Women’s Health Information Center - www.4women.gov
The National Institutes of Health - www.nih.gov

Adelaide G. Nardone, M.D. Board-Certified Ob/Gyn FACOG (Fellow, American College of Gynecologists) Assistant Clinical Instructor of Ob/Gyn at the Brown University-affiliated Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island in the Women’s Primary Care Center Dr. Nardone is an advisor to the Vagisil Women's Health CenterSM (VWHC), an online health information resource for women of all ages at www.vagisil.com. A fellow of the American College of Gynecologists (FACOG), Dr. Nardone is often a guest speaker for local community groups, health clubs, and schools, as well as professional organizations, discussing a variety of feminine health issues, ranging from teenage pregnancy to menopause. Dr. Nardone periodically consults with Combe Incorporated, maker of the Vagisil® brand of feminine products, on new product development and research.