Posted by Enrique Geiger (38.32.74.132) on July 12, 2000 at 11:33:39:
It just seems to me that helping people to access doctors that have appeared to be knowledgeable and helpful with CH would be an important service. So for starters I would suggest that just positives be posted - that is, doctors who people have found helpful and caring about their condition.
The AMA and other directories simply give you a brief biography of a doctors education, training and affiliations, but do not identify sub-specialities or level of experience very well. This biographical info could be useful in combination with people's comments about their own experiences. For example, was the doctor willing to take time to listen and answer any questions about diagnosis and treatment? What was the treatment plan developed for you? How did it work?
Since there is no "rating" system for doctors based on outcomes and there is hardly any publically accessible, volume information that identifies experience, combining as much information as possible is in every patient's best interest. Other peoples experiences can be very helpful, as long as everyone understands that each doctor-patient encounter is different and that there are no guarantees.
Wouldn't be a plus to know that at least the doctor you had made an appointment with had experience in dealing with cluster headache - and was a caring person?
I added a URL that may show how these very helpful things can be accomplished in a variety of ways, if given half a chance:
Example of Performance Reports from The Center For Medical Consumers - www.medicalconsumers.org
Also, if we are not willing to take this basic helpful step, much of the purpose of this site is missed, and its potential may not be fully materialized.