Bethanyology

Now that we've moved and have insurance again, you've probably noticed that I'm working on finding good doctors for my family.  I wish there were a way for someone to put up a site that differentiates doctors beyond saying their specialties and what school they graduated from when, but I haven't been able to find one.  So, I thought I'd share my search method and results in case they're helpful to anyone else. 

Just for your information and to give you an idea of the kind of doctors I'm searching for, my mother is in medical school right now and my grandmother is something of an herbalist and because of them I've been conditioned to believe that the body is best at healing itself and doctors are there to deal primarily with emergencies and help the body heal itself.  I like chiropractors and believe that there's a lot "alternative" medicine has to offer that conventional medicine can't, although I definitely think some of it is what Colin likes to call "voodoo."  I think herbs and vitamins have their places in health and healing.  I think healthcare needs to have a healthy dose of care to be successful.  A doctor's staff has a lot to do with whether I want to deal with a doctor and nurses often make or break a hospital or clinic or office.  I like to have a doctor who explains a lot of alternatives to me and lets me choose how to proceed.  I do not like doctors who tell me what to do and don't thoroughly explain their reasoning.  I believe the patient is responsible for their health unless they're incapable of accepting responsibility.  Just understand my strong bias as you read on.  I'm also not trained in medicine in any way, so don't take any of this as medical advice.

My first shot in the dark when looking for a doctor is usually to check in with doctors who are D.O.s, not M.D.s.   I quickly discovered that there are only a handful of DOs (Doctor of Osteopathy) in Arkansas.  D.O.s have all the same qualifications and training as M.D.s and are consequently covered by all insurance, but many of them have a more holistic way of looking at the body and they are trained in osteopathic manipulation (a kind of treatment that's a lot like what chiropractors do).  Most DOs don't actually practice OM, but some do and I like that.  I haven't found any that do in Arkansas, so if you hear of any let me know.

There is one Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) in central Arkansas and she works at the university hospital nearby.  I had a CNM (Kathryn Hardy) for both of my babies in the hospital in Utah and loved it because she was so supportive and stayed with me during the labor process (unlike a doctor who only comes in to check on you occasionally).  I would prefer to have a CNM next time I have a baby (no, I don't have an announcement to make), but I refuse to go to a university hospital where I hear they don't let you get out of bed during labor.  So, I decided to go for the next best thing: find a doula and ask her which doctors I would like based on my personal philosophies (above).  I found one on the internet and emailed her, asking for her favorites and the reasoning behind her choices. 

She gave me the following names of doctors she's worked with who like having doulas at the hospital and are respectful of a woman's birth plan:

Singleton
Breniman
Simmons
Chandler
Wyatt (also recommended by a friend of mine who said his clinic has an awesome, efficient staff and that he was very compassionate and understanding with her sister when she'd had a miscarriage)
Huthison
Garner

She said that the best hospitals in the area to deliver a baby at (assuming you'd prefer to do things your way and don't want to argue with nurses) are, in order of preference:

Little Rock Baptist
St. Vincent's
North Little Rock Baptist

She said UAMS is awful for delivering babies because they focus only on high-risk births.  So, if you are in a high-risk situation UAMS may be ideal for you.  I happen to have been in a high-risk bracket last time because of my gestational diabetes, but even then I wouldn't have gone to a high-risk facility unless the baby or I had shown any signs of trauma or a problematic delivery. 

Speaking of high risk, I'm not really into the idea of having a baby at home (I like the security of being in a hospital), but if you are you can get a list of local midwives by emailing the Midwives Alliance of North America.  I did so I could get a list of people to ask about which doctors were the best to work with in the hospital (since there aren't any nurse midwives with hospital privileges–there are some nurse midwives who will deliver at home, though).  They were very helpful, though not really very quick in their response.

As for family doctors, I haven't found out much yet.  One of my friends said that she's heard good things about Dr. Curtner in Sherwood and that her family likes to go to Dr. Hal Hedges in West Little Rock. 

Colin needs to go to an endocrinologist, so we asked some friends who work at the university (which is perfect for weird cases like Colin) and they recommended Dr. Makdissi, who is apparently pretty new.  He doesn't have an appointment open until February, though, so we'll have to wait to see him and check in with another doctor in the meantime. 

That's what I've got so far…watch for future installments of my commentary on the Little Rock medical establishment!

Tags: doctors, hospital, midwives, risk