Working with the wrong medical provider can negatively impact your health and even cause you harm. However, choosing the right medical provider isn’t always easy. Sometimes you don’t have a choice and you need to stay within your insurance provider’s network. Other times, there might only be one specialist in your area. Still, it’s vital to conduct thorough research before trusting anyone, especially if you’re having a surgical procedure done or will be taking prescription medication.

  1. Some medical providers cause serious harm

It’s said that about one in three doctors will be named in a medical malpractice lawsuit at some point during their career, with an average of 20,000 lawsuits filed every year in the United States. These statistics are shocking, but are great motivation to research your providers. With so many patients being harmed by provider negligence, it should make you pause before jumping into a doctor-patient relationship.

When it comes to medical malpractice, it all boils down to a negligent provider. There are countless reasons negligence occurs, but the end result is harm to the patient. And it doesn’t always occur as a surgery gone wrong, or major mistakes, like amputating the wrong leg. Failure to treat is considered medical malpractice, and so is prescribing the wrong medication. Both of these can cause significant harm.

You can’t predict negligence based on first impressions, but you can get a good idea of the risk by researching a provider. For example, online reviews might reveal a trail of surgical complications or poor outcomes that are too frequent to be isolated cases.

Before fully accepting a diagnosis or treatment plan, or following through with an invasive procedure or surgery, it’s wise to thoroughly research your provider’s reputation. If you don’t like what you find, seek a second opinion.

  1. Credentials matter

United States law requires a license to practice medicine, and most people just assume every provider they visit is licensed. You’d think that fake doctors don’t make their way into hospitals and other facilities, but it happens. For example, in 2023, a man was charged with impersonating a doctor for practicing medicine in Los Angeles without a license. By the time of his arrest, he had treated thousands of patients over many years.

Unlicensed medical practitioners are even more prevalent outside the U.S. That’s why it’s crucial to verify a medical provider’s credentials, even when seeking a diagnosis.

  1. Experience matters

Although it’s crucial to verify a medical provider is licensed, it’s even more important to verify their experience. A freshly licensed doctor won’t have the depth of knowledge and experience required to treat certain conditions, or adequately assess your medical situation. Usually, doctors work with other medical professionals for a long time before branching out on their own, but they can still lack expertise until they’ve been on their own for years.


In addition to newly licensed physicians, you also need to consider the benefits of seeing a specialist rather than a general practitioner. Specialists have extensive experience diagnosing and treating patients in their area of expertise, and will be able to spot issues generalists can’t see.

  1. Patient outcomes tell all

A doctor’s track record with patient outcomes can tell you a lot about the quality of care they deliver. High success rates with happy patients are a good indication you’re looking at a quality provider. The more serious the procedure is, the more important it is to choose a provider with a trail of positive outcomes.

Researching online reviews and scouring social media for conversations can tell you a lot about a provider. If there are unhappy patients out there, you’ll find them pretty quickly.

  1. Bedside manner and communication play a big role in your care

While it’s great to work with a skilled, experienced, successful provider, it’s equally important to choose someone who makes you feel comfortable and heard. A good bedside manner has been proven to improve patient satisfaction. However, some of the best providers come off as indifferent or cold because they’re so focused on their patients’ issues.

Not everyone cares about having a doctor with a bubbly bedside manner, but if emotional connection and a doctor’s personality are important to you, researching potential providers can help you find the ideal match.

Research supports informed healthcare decisions

Thoroughly researching potential medical providers empowers you to make informed decisions about your medical care. By verifying licenses, researching patient outcomes, and noting red flags, you can make choices that will contribute to an optimal outcome.

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