Mesothelioma Other Tests, Mesothelioma Staging

Like when choosing an attorney, recommendations from the Mesothelioma community is a valuable resource. People in the community will be happy to tell you of wonderful doctors who helped them in their battle against Mesothelioma. They will also be quick to tell you of doctors who they feel did a poor job and who should be avoided.

A recommendation for or against a Mesothelioma doctor is not enough reason to make a choice. There are other things to be considered such as is the doctor a member of the patient's health care plan. By the way, the list that you get from the health care plan provider is not a recommendation by that provider. It is merely a list of doctors who have a signed agreement with that provider. Also just because the doctor that you may be considering is not on the list provided by the health care plan does not mean that the doctor is not a member; it just might mean that the list isn't up to date. If you have a specific doctor that you are considering, call the health care provider and have them check.

When considering a doctor one of the important criteria is that the doctor is experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of Mesothelioma. Not only should the doctor be "board certified" in their field, they should be "board certified" in the subspecialties as they relate to Mesothelioma. Since most board certified specialists are members of a medical specialty society that relates to their field of specialization, look to see that the doctor you are considering is a member.

 Is the surgeon board certified to perform the surgery related to your Mesothelioma? * How many times has the surgeon performed the type of surgery that is being proposed?
* How often in the last year, has the surgeon performed this particular type of surgery?  * Did the surgeon explain the procedure to the patient and to his families? * Did the surgeon explain the risks and success rates that the patient might expect?

While it is important that the patient and family have a good relationship with the doctors responsible for the patient's care, that relationship must be based on trust. Always trust your own feelings. But the bottom line is that, ultimately, the decision belongs to the patient and his/her family.