Finding the Right Fit
There are many ways to look for a health provider whose qualifications match your needs. Ideally, you will explore your options early in your menopausal process. You can approach your search for a suitable care provider as a research project.
Where to Start
Finding a new health care provider can seem mysterious or overwhelming. But if you've decided you want someone who understands menopause, you have some choices in approach. Here are just a few ways you can locate a health care provider:
Ask your primary healthcare provider or family physician. He or she may know the qualified individuals in your area, and since this person knows your style and personality, he or she may be able to match you with someone that's right for you.
Ask your family and friends. Though the practitioner that's best for them may not be the one for you, the women you know can give you an inside perspective on their health care providers. Coworkers may also be able to suggest a physician who is close to your workplace or associated with a nearby hospital. And since your coworkers may be on the same insurance plan that you have, they might be able to help you anticipate — or even avoid — problems with insurance filing.
Visit the consumer section of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Web site at
www.menopause.org Call reputable medical clinics in your area to find out if their services include a menopause clinic or specialists.
Check with your insurance provider to see if it offers a list of doctors and therapists with menopause specialties. Most health insurance companies have Web sites listing physicians in your area or affiliated with major hospitals.
Go online. You can search for menopause specialists in your area using any of the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Search.msn, Excite, Dogpile, and others.
Do Your Homework
When you've narrowed the list of potential health care providers, you can explore each health care provider's operation to find out how well it meshes with your needs and preferences. Follow a few practical guidelines for screening health care provider candidates:
Call the office, and pay attention to the details of your experience. Is the office big and busy or small and personal? Are you immediately put on hold, and if so, how long do you wait? Can the receptionist answer your questions or put you in contact with someone who can? What are the office hours? How long will it take for you to get an appointment? What's the length of an average office visit? You want to make sure you have adequate time with the doctor or practitioner during your visit. Can patients get responses to questions over the telephone or through e-mail? If so, who returns those calls or e-mails?
Find out what kinds of insurance the office accepts, and how insurance billing is handled. You'll also want to check with your insurance provider to be certain that any alternative or specialty treatment you receive is covered before accepting any potentially expensive testing or treatment plan.
Try to schedule an information visit with the doctor or practitioner and use that visit to assess: the condition of the office, the helpfulness of the staff, and your impression of the health care provider. If the doctor or practitioner doesn't limit his or her practice to menopause (and most don't), find out approximately what percentage of the patient load involves menopause treatment.
Find out if the practice has a person — such as an office manager or assistant to the primary health care provider — who can answer your questions and help you get the service you need when the doctor or practitioner is busy or away from the office. Some offices have a registered nurse who performs this function, while others use a medical assistant or a patient services coordinator with extensive medical knowledge and training. The title isn't as important as this individual's willingness and ability to help you resolve issues that might come up.
Your prescreening efforts are worth the time and effort you invest in them. The health care provider you choose will be an important part of your life for several years to come. Choosing the provider who works best for you can make all of your health care decisions easier and help ensure that you get the best available care, advice, and guidance.
Fact
Your health care provider has a big impact on the decisions you make about therapies and treatment. In one study by a medical researcher from the Harvard Medical School, 96 percent of women in an HMO who had received an initial prescription for MHT cited their doctor's opinion as critical to their decision to pursue that treatment option.
