Having colon cancer is a challenge, but it can be overcome with the right doctor by your side. Here are some things to consider when choosing a gastroenterologist or colon cancer specialist.
- Credentials: Check qualifications vigorously in terms of your gastroenterologist’s educational background, professional affiliations with the medical community, and where training was received.
- Years in Operation: This is a huge deciding factor when choosing someone to treat and manage your illness, as you’ll most likely want someone with the best experience, rather than a novice in the field.
- Success Rates: While each patient is different, find out how many patients the doctor has treated, specifically for colon cancer, and the success rate received throughout the years of the doctor’s practice.
- Treatment Options: Ask your doctor what treatment alternatives are available for your condition, and pick one that is most effective, with the least amount of side effects.
- Understanding: In a lot of medical communities, emotions are missing from treatment. However, there are many professional gastroenterologists who will offer a sense of understanding instead of treating patients impersonally. It’s essential to pick a doctor that you feel comfortable with.
Questions to Ask a Prospective Gastroenterologist During Initial Consultations:
- How many colonoscopies or endoscopies are performed annually?
- Are sedations or anesthesia administered during procedures?
- Are other nurses or practitioners available in the facility?
- Are polyps removed during colonoscopies, if any are found?
- What types of insurance are accepted by the center?
- Are these techniques practiced in hospitals?
Whichever pressing issues are a concern for you, be sure to ask.If you are a colon cancer patient or survivor and need a gastroenterologist in the Thousand Oaks area of California, Dr. Daneshgar meets all the above requirements, with over three decades of experience in the field. To peruse his qualifications, board certifications and affiliations, click here.Choosing a GI will involve quite an amount of research. If possible, ask a member of your family or friend to conduct research for you. Also, you have the option to research online through practicing gastroenterologist websites.