Need to find a good sleep Doc

phorts · Post by **phorts** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:52 am

Hey everyone. I'm sure i'm not the first person to post this, but I think that we should create some stickies here on subjects as critical as these.

1. Where can one go to even get a list of sleep Doctors in their area BESIDES the yellow pages?

2. Where can you go to find recommendations or individual patient experiences for those particular Doctors?

There are many more associated questions to these like accredidation, specialty background, etc. But those are the big ones.

While i'm at it, i'm currently looking for a good sleep doctor, preferably one who specializes in Neurology, in the Southern New Hampshire / Northern Mass area. Can anyone recommend someone?

Thank you!

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:15 am

Your family MD is probably the best place to get answers, and it may be necessary to get referrals from him/her to see the people you want anyway.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:15 am

You can contact A.W.A.K.E. to see if there are any AWAKE support groups in your area.
You can contact your local hospital to see if they offer an apnea support group.
Local support groups are your best option for personal experiences opinions about the various sleep specialists in your area.

Have you clicked on and checked out the link above to Area Sleep Labs?
Have you clicked on and checked out the link above to Sleep Meetings?
Have you clicked on and checked out the information under the Yellow Lightbulb above?
Have you clicked on and checked out the information under the Red Ball w/the big Question Mark above?

Hopefully you will find some of the information you are seeking at the above links.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:17 am

That's a very good, but general answer. I've gone this route several times and have ended up at dead-ends. Im taking matters into my own hands, as i'm sure many patients are nowadays, and would like to use the resources of the internet to find a reputable and knowledgeable Doctor to help me.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:26 am

Also, I can answer the second response:

Have you clicked on and checked out the link above to Area Sleep Labs?

- Yes, I have had studies done at both the Labs listed for my area, as well as 1 other lab.

Have you clicked on and checked out the link above to Sleep Meetings?

- Yes, but there are none in my area. If there were, i may consider.

Have you clicked on and checked out the information under the Yellow Lightbulb above?

- Yes, does not help me find doctors or information about those doctors

Have you clicked on and checked out the information under the Red Ball w/the big Question Mark above?

- Yes, same as above.

Look, i'm looking for a good Doctor. I dont care if i have to drive 2 hours and wait 2 months to see them. The information isnt on this forum, unless it lies in the minds of the users here. I'm looking to find, or create a place where people can find a list of Sleep Doctors in their area and where people who have visited with these doctors can post their reviews of them.

Does this place exist?

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:15 am

You can find a link to local A.W.A.K.E. support groups at:

http://www.sleepapnea.org/awake/index.html

I didn't realize that I'd failed to give you a link to A.W.A.K.E. in my previous post.

There are AWAKE support groups in Concord, Dover, Lebanon and Merrimack. They are your best bet for getting personal experiences and opinions on the sleep professionals they've dealt with.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:24 am

Yes, such an URL does exist. One for accredited sleep doctors and one for accredited sleep clinics that I found on the web. I forget the name of the medical organization but found it during a google search I think. If I found it you should be able to 'cause I'm NOT the most 'puter savvy person you'll ever meet by any stretch of the imagination!!!!

AnneO · Post by **AnneO** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:40 am

You can find a list of board certified sleep specialists. Unfortunately, they only seem to be listed by last name, not by state.

http://www.absm.org/Diplomates/listing.htm

jomac30 · Post by **jomac30** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:24 pm

To Phorts:
MY sleep doctor is great. He is in Newburyport, Mass which isn't too far for you. I travel 45 minutes to his office.
also the sleep lab near him is the best (Ana Jaques Hospital) Let me know if you want his name. He is also a pulmonologist.

Mile High Sleeper · Post by **Mile High Sleeper** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:54 pm

phorts, the light bulb has links (one already mentioned in this thread) and list of questions for docs at
cpaptalk-articles/building-CPAP-support-team.html

ApNoob · Post by **ApNoob** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:23 pm

Anonymous wrote:That's a very good, but general answer. I've gone this route several times and have ended up at dead-ends. Im taking matters into my own hands, as i'm sure many patients are nowadays, and would like to use the resources of the internet to find a reputable and knowledgeable Doctor to help me.

Well, I'm just getting started but I'm beginning to regret having chosen an independent sleep lab associated with the doctor I chose. The study report is sloppy with apparent errors and omissions and the "interpretation" of the study (like a radiologist's report) was done by my doctor, not a separate sleep doctor, and done so in a perfunctory manner so sloppy that there are blank spots in the form letter where a diagnosis should be entered ("which falls in the___range of severity"). If the doctor who did the interpretation was a separate doctor I would have had a second opinion rather than the sloppy interpretation on top of a sloppy report.

The more I call around the more the local boutique CPAP only DME's tell me my lab is not their favorite...asking locals at an AWAKE meeting or forum seems like a good idea. I wish I'd heard of it before I chose mine.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:37 pm

Anonymous wrote: ... Look, i'm looking for a good Doctor. I dont care if i have to drive 2 hours and wait 2 months to see them. The information isnt on this forum, unless it lies in the minds of the users here. I'm looking to find, or create a place where people can find a list of Sleep Doctors in their area and where people who have visited with these doctors can post their reviews of them.

Does this place exist?

By george! Now that you ask that question. There IS a site on the net to rate your doctor with comments. At least it was in existence 2-3 years ago. You listed the specialty, area and your comments. I rated a couple of good docs and a couple of "stinkers". Don't remember how or where I found it tho ..... it wasn't for any one specialty, it was for ANY doctor ...

dllfo · Post by **dllfo** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:08 pm

I have complained to several agencies, they all shrug their shoulders.

I am in Sacramento, CA and use Dr. Bradley E. Chipps. If you want to see if they have "published" a few papers, go to google and type in their name like I did "Bradley E. Chipps". 359 hits, some are wrong. But type in YOUR doctor's name, same way. That might be one way. I tried Bradley Chipps and so on.

Another approach I applied today....I switched away from a doctor I have had for 7 years and decided to find the replacement by going to the Medical Board of Calif. Under "How to choose a doctor (M.D.): Click here to find your doctor. Now it gets a little tricky....I need to know which doctors at Sutter Health accept my insurance. I have 2 computers, so I got a list up on one computer, then typed their name in on the "License Search for Medical Doctor and Special Faculty Permit" page. After I found the doctor, I looked to see if their license had been revoked or if they have lost a law suit (not always a good indicator) THEN I look at where they got the medical degrees. I selected a Urologist today because he was on my side of town and went to Johns Hopkins. Not a perfect methodology, but it beats the yellow pages.

I also tried the Patient Advocate, but the young lady was not competent to answer basic questions.

So your first step is to tell people where you are. 2nd step is to look in your state rosters of doctors not doing hard time. 3rd step is to ask people on this forum. Good Luck...this forum has some super good people on it.

Need to find a good sleep Doc

Need to find a good sleep Doc

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