Choosing a well-qualified lung cancer specialist may have a significant impact on your health. As such, securing referrals from a doctor you already know and trust may be your best option. You may also, however, search for experts online, in medical journals, or even via lung cancer societies and organizations. When you've compiled a list of several specialists to consider, you may then compare them based on their reputations, experience, and levels of expertise. Additionally, you may arrange consultations with the doctors on your list in an effort to choose the lung cancer specialist with whom you feel the most comfortable.
When you are trying to choose the best lung cancer specialist, one of your best sources of information may be your primary care physician. If you have a primary care physician you feel you can trust, you may ask him for advice and referrals. Often, primary care physicians have consulted with specialists in the past and can provide insight into which specialists have the best reputations. While you may not make your decision based on the advice of your primary care doctor, his referrals may help you compile a list from which you can start comparing.
Since lung cancer is such a serious medical issue, you may feel most comfortable in the hands of someone who is recognized as an expert in this category of medicine. In such a case, you may ask your doctor to tell you who is considered the foremost expert in this field of medicine. If your doctor is unable to help you with this information, however, you may search for information on your own. For example, you may search online for lung cancer experts or look through medical journals to get the names of doctors who have published articles related to treatment for lung cancer.
You may also find it helpful to visit the websites of lung cancer societies and organizations when you are hoping to choose the best lung cancer specialist. Some of these organizations may maintain lists of member doctors from which you may choose. In such a case, you may find the names and contact information of member doctors who are in your area and add them to your list.
One you have compiled a list of lung cancer specialists to consider, you may do well to compare them based on a number of criteria. In most cases, it makes sense to choose the doctor who has the best reputation and the most experience with treating your type of lung cancer. You may also check the credentials of the specialists you are considering before you make a choice. Additionally, you may arrange consultations with the top specialists on your list to select the doctor with whom you feel the most comfortable.