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Reprint from Nashville Magazine, January 2001	Dr. Kreegel was listed by Nashville Lifestyles as one of the top two surgeons. (Article reprinted below)
For an enlarged version of the left-hand blurb, please click on it.

Rating doctors to find the best healthcare in Nashville.

By Dr. Trevor Smith

You don’t have to look under rocks or in gullies to find healthcare providers in this town! In fact, there are so many healthcare practitioners here many are beginning to feel like "just another guitar picker in Nashville." Nashville has at least five hospitals and hospital-related practice groups. Furthermore, there are many types of practitioners out there. As a result of all of the competition, the quality of Nashville healthcare is high. You benefit from this because providers want your dollar and many of them (including hospitals) are now advertising to get it! So whether you’ve just moved to Nashville and are looking for good healthcare or have been seeing the same provider for years, it may be time to examine your practitioner. Since you are picking among the best, there are some key characteristics by which you can judge a provider.

Have you ever considered giving your doctor a check-up? It may seem awkward at first to examine your practitioner. Did you know that your health insurance company could be grading your provider by interviewing other patients? Are you aware that physicians are sometimes asked to grade each other and each other’s records? For physicians, a grading scheme whereby one can rate a practitioner is not a new concept. There are ten key traits that you can consider when evaluating your healthcare providers: demeanor, credentials, referrals, alternatives, records, staff, convenience, community presence, technology, and services. These traits are explained below. Of these, demeanor is the most important.

TEN KEY AREAS BY WHICH TO EVALUATE A HEALTH PRACTITIONER

Demeanor – Refers to the provider’s ability to work with you which requires two key skills: communication and "partnerability." The provider should be able to listen to your concerns and talk about them in a way you can appreciate. The provider should also be your partner in caring for your health – this means they should listen to you, value your research, and discuss reasons for certain treatments. If they want to act as a final authority, beware! They may be placing their beliefs before your needs.

Credentials – Refers to what they were trained to do and how well they do it. Some providers get extra training in other areas.

Referrals – A good provider knows when to send you to another provider.

Alternatives (relates to referrals) – Good providers should be open to alternative and complementary specialists. Conversely, if you are using an alternative provider, they should be able to recognize the signs/symptoms requiring proper medical attention and refer you.

Staff – A provider’s staff should be attentive to your needs, both on the phone and during your visit. Good staff will put you at ease and seem competent.

Records – Your records are essentially your health and treatment history and are vital. They should not be lost. What’s more, you have a right to your information. Copies of it and/or interpretations of it should be available to you. Records duplication fees may apply. Offices may charge for translating records into conventional terminology.

Convenience – This covers two areas: location and accessibility. Your provider’s location is important with regards to parking, handicap entrances, and travel distance to the office. Accessibility is the amount of personal contact your provider allows. Stellar providers answer their own pages and calls contacting you soon after you call. Some providers must assign "on call" substitutes, and it is due to their specialty – do not fault them for this.

Community Presence – As a practitioner, one has moral responsibility to give back to the community. Community involvement can take many forms. Practitioners are often members of civic organizations.

Technology – A provider can always embrace more technology. There is always a more advanced computer! Some of the latest advancements and devices include items that allow the provider to access your information from remote areas in ways that your information is secure during access/transmission. Digital technology is also available.

Services – Providers within the same profession can offer vastly different services. The scope of their services should be obvious to you either in initial conversations or in brochures, printed materials, and advertising. For example, some dentists’ signs say, "practice limited to endodontics" indicating "endodontics" is what you get.

check up

Now that you understand some of the various aspects of a professional practice, you can use the grading chart for rating healthcare providers. Are you getting the best healthcare in Nashville?

Since healthcare standards are generally high here, you probably are getting good care! The chart below allows you to grade your practitioner based on the ten key factors. You may rate your providers on a one to ten scale with ten being the highest score. As you assign your score, you might want to consider the following list of top questions to ask yourself about your provider, compiled and listed in order of importance by other health practitioners.

TOP TEN QUESTIONS:

Do the providers listen to you?
Do they spend time with you?
Do they feel the need to over-emphasize their role as the authority?
Do they maintain records and give you copies?
Are they willing to refer you for other care?
Do they consider alternatives and not want to limit them?
Do they value your research and opinions?
Do they answer their own pages/calls?
Do the staff make you feel at ease?
Does the provider have any extra training/credentials?

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