A match made in PubMed
December 19, 2011 2:33 PM Subscribe
Medically-literate patient seeking recommendation for an analytical physician. Bay Area, Oakland/Alameda/Berkeley preferred.
I just changed jobs and will now be living and working in the East Bay, driving from Oakland (spitting distance from Kaiser, but I have United Healthcare) to Alameda each day. Besides distance, the most important criteria for me is a doctor who is willing and interested in talking shop, because frankly, I analyze medical research and clinical trials for a living, I'm proactive, and I have a solid understanding of risk and statistics. If I come in with a vague complaint (say, fatigue), I usually bring along checklist of what I've ruled in or out and why, plus a symptom log and a brief rundown of any relevant family history. I'm usually pretty spot-on in what the most likely diagnosis is - if something's likely stress-induced or aggravated, I'll acknowledge it vs. being convinced I've got cancer.
I like physicians who are receptive to this, who are analytical, who are up on the latest literature, and who are willing to talk about best practices for managing conditions for someone who's young and overall healthy. At my last doctor's visit, for instance, the PA flagged me down to let me know about the increased stroke risk for women with migraine with aura who are also on hormonal birth control, then emailed me the next day with a reference to a clinical review of the risks and her take on how pressing she thought the issue was for me given my age (late 20s). That's my ideal doctor's experience in a nutshell, so I'm seeking your recommendations for docs that take UHC. Bonus points if the practice is fully electronic, if there's a way to book appointments online, or anything else super-convenient. I'm mostly looking for PCPs, but if you've got a great specialist who you think exemplifies these traits, I wouldn't mind knowing in case I need someone in the future.
I just changed jobs and will now be living and working in the East Bay, driving from Oakland (spitting distance from Kaiser, but I have United Healthcare) to Alameda each day. Besides distance, the most important criteria for me is a doctor who is willing and interested in talking shop, because frankly, I analyze medical research and clinical trials for a living, I'm proactive, and I have a solid understanding of risk and statistics. If I come in with a vague complaint (say, fatigue), I usually bring along checklist of what I've ruled in or out and why, plus a symptom log and a brief rundown of any relevant family history. I'm usually pretty spot-on in what the most likely diagnosis is - if something's likely stress-induced or aggravated, I'll acknowledge it vs. being convinced I've got cancer.
I like physicians who are receptive to this, who are analytical, who are up on the latest literature, and who are willing to talk about best practices for managing conditions for someone who's young and overall healthy. At my last doctor's visit, for instance, the PA flagged me down to let me know about the increased stroke risk for women with migraine with aura who are also on hormonal birth control, then emailed me the next day with a reference to a clinical review of the risks and her take on how pressing she thought the issue was for me given my age (late 20s). That's my ideal doctor's experience in a nutshell, so I'm seeking your recommendations for docs that take UHC. Bonus points if the practice is fully electronic, if there's a way to book appointments online, or anything else super-convenient. I'm mostly looking for PCPs, but if you've got a great specialist who you think exemplifies these traits, I wouldn't mind knowing in case I need someone in the future.
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