The diagnosis of any kind of cancer can be devastating for you and your loved ones, and breast cancer is no different. One of the best ways to cope with the presence of this cancer and the battle that you have ahead of you to get rid of it is by finding a great oncologist that you trust and that will help you right this awful disease. Breast cancer awareness is incredibly important, and so is understanding what to do should you be diagnosed. Follow these steps to find the right breast cancer oncologist for you:
Choosing A Doctor
Is it important to find a doctor that is recognized by the Breast Cancer Association, has all the necessary credentials and will make you feel safe and supported during your journey. Choosing a breast cancer oncologist is not always easy, but follow these steps to ensure that you find the right caretaker for you.
Search Local Directories
The first place to start is the directory. This will show you all of your options and is a good jumping off point before you begin to narrow down candidates. Is it important to cast a wide net when searching for the right doctor for you. Many will not be available to you due to insurance coverage or poor patient experiences that you find while researching, but looking into a lot of different options betters your chances of finding the right fit.
Get Recommendations
There are many sources of support and community when it comes to breast cancer. You can look at a breast cancer blog or a website about breast cancer awareness to get the testimonies of other survivors as well as doctor recommendations. While online reviews are one thing, there is nothing better than the first-hand experience from someone that you know and trust. Building these relationships with other patients and survivors will not only give you a needed source of love and support, but it can also lead you straight into the arms of the best healthcare professionals. They can also help to educate you and add to your breast cancer awareness.
Research Credentials
It is incredibly important to look up the background, education, and overall credentials of your potential doctors. The Breast Cancer Association should have an updated list of all of the training and education that your doctor should have to adequately treat you. Breast cancer, like many cancers, can be difficult to treat so it is important to check up on your doctors and make sure they are as highly trained as possible. Do not skimp out on this section of your research: the right credentials can make all the difference.
Check for Malpractice Records
Malpractice is very real and it happens all the time. Be sure to check up on your doctors to make sure they have no past or pending malpractice charges against them. Malpractice can mean the difference between getting sicker and getting better and can also mean the difference between life and death. If your doctor is even remotely connected to any cases of malpractice, immediately terminate the relationship and distance yourself. There are plenty of other doctors out there who do not have reputations with malpractice. Even if you believe there is some kind of justification for the charges or accusations, it is not worth sticking around to find out for sure.
Interview Them in Person
The eyes are the window to the soul, as they say, and there is a lot of truth to how much you can feel out about a person when you go see them face to face. Making this connection and interviewing them in person will help you to feel them out as both a human being and a doctor. When you interview in person, you can ask them hard-hitting and tough questions that they will have to answer instantly without prepping. This will give you a sense of how prepared they are for your treatment This in-person interview will help you to weed out the bad apples and put your mind at ease that your health is in the hands of a trusted professional.
Building Trust With Your Doctor
As your relationship progresses, you will build trust with your doctor on your own. This will come from seeing how they interact with you and how much they care about your specific situation and health. Before this trusting relationship is established, you will need to rely on the work and research you did before meeting the doctor to forge an initial relationship with them. If at any time you feel that your doctor is not trustworthy or is not taking your care seriously, it is important to consider another oncologist to help you fight breast cancer. A trusting relationship with your health care provider is an essential part of your fight against cancer and your journey back to health.