5 tips to help you find an ideal doctor for your diabetic needs

You've been diagnosed with diabetes, now what? You might feel your current doctor doesn't have the expertise needed for your medical needs. It's important that you have a primary care doctor who makes you feel comfortable and who understands the ins and outs of diabetes. Here are five tips to help you find a good one.

Start by getting recommendations from friends, other diabetes patients, and the doctors and nurses you already see.

• Ask what they know about any doctor they suggest: Does he listen? Does he work well with other people? Do his patients seem to do well? Ask if the doctor is already plugged into a network of diabetes-care professionals.

Both your primary care physician and your endocrinologist should have board certification in endocrinology or internal medicine and also be members of professional organizations related to diabetes or their specialty.

• Degrees and certifications are apt to hang on their office walls.

There can be many benefits to having a doctor who also teaches.

• Chances are, physicians who hold teaching positions at university medical centres are most likely to be knowledgeable about the latest research and treatments.

Even endocrinologists don't treat only diabetes, so be sure to find out how much your doctor works with people who have diabetes — particularly those with your type and your age.

Does the doctor prefer sticking to well-established therapies or trying out new approaches?

• Neither way is necessarily better, but the doctor will probably have an opinion on the merits of one approach over another. Do you agree with his or her philosophy?

In the end, you need a doctor you feel comfortable with and who has a good track record of dealing with diabetic patients. Keep these tips in mind and find your ideal doctor today.