Anesthesiologists are physicians who are specially trained in administering medication for pain relief and sedation. They’re typically responsible for administering anesthesia during surgery at a carefully calculated rate to keep the patient comfortable while not rendering them unconscious or entirely out of touch with what’s going on around them. When you have surgery coming up, one of the first things you should do is look at your health insurance benefits to make sure that you have anesthesiologists as part of your network. However, finding the best anesthesiologist in Houston can prove to be quite a challenge. Here are a few tips to get you going.
1.Ask for Recommendations
The best way to find an anesthesiologist is by asking for recommendations from friends, family members, and co-workers who have had surgeries in the past. Since they won’t want to hear you complaining about your own experience, it’s doubtful that they will give you a random name off the top of their heads. They will look at your medical condition and determine which anesthesiologists they would recommend based on that information.
2.Talk to Various Candidates
Once you have a list of qualified candidates using the tips below, it’s time to set up face-to-face interviews. Just because someone has the proper credentials doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily good at their job or that they will be available for your surgery date. Make sure to ask each candidate about their experience in similar cases and find out if they’ve ever had to turn down a surgery or cancel on a patient due to emergencies or last-minute travel plans. An experienced anesthesiologist knows the risks and has their ducks in a row when planning their schedule around precise dates and times.
3.Consider Their Qualifications
One of the easiest ways to figure out if a specific anesthesiologist is qualified enough to be working on you or your loved one is by checking their credentials. You can start by looking at their educational background, ideally including at least four years of medical school and between three and eight years in residency training. Any board-certified anesthesiologists (either by the American Board of Anesthesiology or through several other certifying boards) are automatically qualified.
4. Look at Their Specialty Area
While all anesthesiologists are qualified to work on you, some have expertise in certain kinds of surgeries or medical conditions. For example, academic anesthesiologists are the best choice for cardiovascular surgery patients because they have extensive experience with this type of patient. On the other hand, pediatric anesthesiologists are more suited to working with children and babies.
5. Check Their Hospital Privileges
Every doctor working with you should have hospital privileges, which means that the doctor can admit patients to a specific medical facility. This can be an important factor because if something goes wrong during the surgery, the doctor should at least be allowed into the operating room to try and fix it or fight for your life.
In summary, an anesthesiologist plays a vital role in the success of your surgery. To find the right, you need to ask for recommendations and consider factors such as their qualifications and area of specialty. You should also consider hospital privileges.
