Who Is Your Ideal Doctor?

What kind of doctor do you want to see the next time you are sick? 

Do you want to get checked out by a physician who specializes in sexually transmitted diseases in runaway teens in Memphis? Do you need to see a doctor who understands gluten-free diets for well to do foodies in the northern suburbs of Dallas? Do you need a specialist in guinea worms and schistosomiasis in returning world travelers, or maybe a psychiatrist who specializes in treating hypochondria, only not completely?

The secret to knowing which doctor will be a match made in heaven for your medical needs is finding doctors who know exactly the kind of patients they love to treat. There are doctors who aren't for every patient, but they are wonderful for a few. Here are three examples.

A Doctor Who Specializes in Divorced Diabetic Long-Distance Truck Drivers with Erectile Dysfunction

Dr. Rob Marsh, a physician in the tiny town of Raphine, Virginia, population 1,395 spread out for nearly 10 miles along Interstate Highway 81, needed to find more patients to keep his office open. The answer came at a nearby truck stop that provides fuel, meals, and hot showers to about 20,000 truckers who drive the interstate past the town. Marsh opened an office at the truck stop and started treating anyone who walked in without an appointment, most of his patients paying in cash. A large part of his practice has become providing the Department of Transportation physicals that allow commercial drivers to stay on the road, and treating erectile dysfunction in overweight truckers who have type 2 diabetes. If you are an overweight male truck driver who has diabetes and erectile dysfunction, then Dr. Rob Marsh in Raphine, Virginia is the doctor for you.

A Physician Who Treats Kids with ADHD with Vegan Diets

Lots of people would try vegan diets except they can't think of anything to eat except tofu. That's also true of mothers of children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who would try treating them with meat-free meals but they don't know where to start. A surprisingly large number of these mothers live near Yakima, Washington, where Dr. Yami Lancaster started a thriving practice that includes making a house call not only to examine her patients in their home environment, but also to dive into their refrigerators to remove foods that can make ADHD worse. Dr. Lancaster even gives the kids a cooking lesson so they can prepare their own healthy food while their parents relax.

READ What Can Patients Expect When Visiting a Naturopathic Doctor?

Making Hippies Happy with Homeopathy

Dr. Kat Lopez of Happy Valley, Oregon got tired of having to see patients in five-minute visits and constantly answering the phone. She moved to the alternative-friendly community just southeast of Portland to set up a practice in which she could practice not just conventional medicine but also homeopathy. We tend to think of homeopathy in terms of pills, but when a doctor practices it correctly, she has to get to know everything about a patient to prescribe just the right ritual (which is part of what the pills are) to bring holistic healing. Dr. Lopez has no shortage of patients who love her whole-person approach.

What Are the Steps to Finding Your Ideal Family Doctor?

It's really not likely that "physician near me" and "doctor near me" apps are going to send you to a great doctor. You will have to do some of the footwork in person. Finding a doctor isn't as easy as 1-2-3, but there can be a certain methodology involved. Here are some necessary steps more or less in the order you need to take them.

1. Look for a doctor who is relationship-oriented rather than production-oriented. A huge, cafeteria style waiting room with lots of support staff is not usually a sign of a doctor who is going to spend a lot of time with your personal needs. (There are some exceptions to this rule. Specialists in complex ongoing care, such as oncologists, always need large support staff. That doesn't mean they don't care.) 
2. Look for a doctor who is willing to spend time with you. An initial visit with your doctor usually take 60 minutes of contact time. Follow-up visits may take 30 minutes. If the very first time you see your doctor the visit lasts five minutes and you are told to come back in six months, either you are in remarkably good health or your doctor is not able to provide you with quality care. Expect to pay more for an in-depth visit, but expect to come in less.
3. Pay attention to how your doctor schedules appointments. An old-fashioned doctor might offer Saturday morning appointments and evening hours a couple of times a week. This is increasingly rare. However, having some difficulty getting an appointment can be a good sign with a solo practitioner. A doctor who knows the complexities of your case will want to schedule you at a time that allows running over without inconvenience to other patients. If your doctor says, "I can't see you at (your preferred time) but I can give you an appointment (at a time he or she can give you all the time you need)," you probably have found a desirable doctor.
4. As a corollary to the above, doctors who schedule their own appointments, rather than relying on staff, tend to give you more time.

READ The End of Doctors in the US Health System?

1. Decide whether you want to be seen by a male physician or a female physician. There really are differences between male and female physicians. In American culture, men tend to support a do-it-fast, suck-it-up, man-up-and-take-your-medicine mentality. If your objective is to get in and out of the doctor's office as quickly as possible, it's usually a male physician whom you want to see.  Women tend to be more relational. They are more likely to listen to the way you feel about your condition. If you have a complicated condition that requires clinical judgment and being listened to, usually it is a female physician you want to see.

It can take a while to find the perfect doctor. When you do, treat the relationship as if it were as valuable as gold. You are likely to have spent considerable effort in finding the doctor you love and you won't want to let them go.