These are the things you need to keep in mind when you're considering outpatient health care treatment facilities.
What you need to know from your doctor
1) What condition are you being treated for?
2) What kind of treatment has been recommended or suggested?
3) Will this treatment be long-term or short-term?
4) What facilities and specialists are being recommended or suggested and why?
Remember: Just because your doctor recommends a particular center or clinic, it doesn’t mean that it is necessarily the right one for you. Even if you have a very specific medical need and there’s only one clinic in the area that specializes in that kind of treatment, you – the patient – have the right to choose where you are treated and who treats you. You are under no obligation to have care provided in that facility by whoever is available. Ultimately, it is your choice.
What you need to know from family and friends
1) What facility did you use for your treatment?
2) Who treated you?
3) Were there any complications associated with your treatment and how were those complications managed?
4) How long did your treatment last?
5a) What was your first impression of the facility?
5b) What was your first impression of the staff? Did they make you feel comfortable? Did you feel pressured at any point?
5c) Did your first impressions hold after you entered treatment?
6) What research did you do before choosing the facility and/or doctor?
Information from other Sources
1) Find out if there are any online or in-person information forums or support groups for your particular medical condition either through EmpowHER or another site or society. Get involved and participate in the discussion. List forums and contact information below. Ask those members about their experiences.
2a) Health agency's rating:
2b) State or local government agency’s rating:
2c) Your state’s board of medicine rating (note any action or pending action involving the physician or facility):
2d) Does your insurance company have information on the facility or doctor? Does your insurance company place any restrictions on which facility you choose?
3a) Center(s) to visit (list their names/addresses below).
3b) How far is the center from your work or home?
3c) How easily accessible is the facility to public transit?
Note: The one closest to you may not necessarily be the right one for your needs, so visit those centers that are a little farther away but accessible, too.
Combine the information you gather on this sheet with the Facility Interview Sheet to help you decide on the treatment center for you.
sources:
http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/stayinghome.htm
http://www.cigna.com/healthinfo/ty7319.html#ty7375
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/outpatient_services-health/page2_em.htm
Reviewed May 30, 2011
Edited by Alison Stanton