Health

How we conducted our Top Doctors survey

Joan Waters
Surveys that ask physicians to recommend their peers are staple features of regional magazines across the country. We knew that Solano Magazine's readers, just like millions of other Americans, would want to know who physicians turn to for their own health care, so we decided early this year to publish a Top Doctors story.

We contacted a well-known firm to conduct the survey for us. But perhaps because the physicians in our region-Solano, Napa and Yolo counties-had never been asked to give recommendations before, the survey firm declined our business. They told us they wouldn't be able to fit our survey into their schedule.

We decided to conduct the survey ourselves.

So, after reviewing the survey methods other regional magazines use, early this summer we sent out a form, along with a postage-paid return envelope, to approximately 1,600 physicians. Our mailing list was compiled for us by the Medical Board of California, a state agency that, among other tasks, licenses medical doctors. Only 18 surveys were returned to us as undeliverable.

Our survey asked physicians to name the medical doctors they would see-or refer a loved one to-for medical treatment. There were no follow-up telephone calls, meetings or mailings, and we asked doctors to make as many recommendations as they liked in any specialties.

The recommendations were anonymous, and we accepted only those written on the forms we provided. We did not accept photocopies or faxes, and we obtained a post office box specifically to accept the completed surveys to ensure none went astray.

In the cover letter we sent along with the survey, we asked doctors to let us know if they heard about someone who wanted to participate and did not receive a form. We sent out about 50 more surveys in response to those requests.

The list we are publishing includes, in alphabetical order within each category, the names of the physicians who received the most recommendations. Each doctor listed received at least two recommendations.

There are many ways to go about choosing a physician. Perhaps the best way-asking friends and family for suggestions-is the most direct. But that's not always possible. Family may live far away, and friends may have different health-insurance carriers and different lists of approved physicians.

Another way to find a physician is to do some Internet research. One of the Web resources you may want to use belongs to the Medical Board of California. It's at medbd.ca.gov. There, you'll find a number of suggestions for finding a physician that's right for you.

Your regional medical society can also be a good resource. Once you have some names, find out who is accepting new patients and, if you have health insurance, whether he or she accepts your plan.