Odds are, if you have infertility you already know that the quality of care offered by doctors varies. You will usually be better off with a doctor who specializes in infertility or who has experience in helping women with infertility. However, if your doctor is helpful, open to learning more, communicates easily, and treats you well, you may find that educating them is better than finding a new doctor while you are beginning a fertility workup.

When choosing a doctor it is always a good idea to ask around and find out whether anyone you know has a good doctor to recommend. As with anything else though there are few one size fits all solutions. If you can’t communicate well with your doctor then it doesn’t matter if they are a world-renowned expert. Don’t be afraid to ask for written instructions.

A good doctor will encourage you to ask questions and will explain things clearly. They will listen to you and treat you with respect. A good doctor will be willing to explore disease prevention options in addition to treating symptoms. It does no good to treat the symptoms of PCOS without correcting the underlying problems. In some cases you might find that you get more personalized care with a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or certified nurse midwife who is trained to offer primary care. Physician assistants must practice in partnership with doctors. In some states nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives can work independently.

Other sources of information about doctors include:
• Ask doctors or other health professionals who work with doctors, such as hospital nurses.
• Find out if a consumer or other group has rated doctors in the area where you live. Find out how reliable the ratings are and what criteria are used.
• Information on doctors in some States is available on the Internet at http://www.docboard.org. This Web site is run by Administrators in Medicine—a group of State medical board directors.
• The American Board of Medical Specialties (1-800-733-2267) can tell you if the doctor is board certified. "Certified" means that the doctor has completed a training program in a specialty and has passed an exam (board) to assess his or her knowledge, skills, and experience to provide quality patient care in that specialty. Primary care doctors also may be certified as specialists. You can also check the Web site at http://www.certifacts.org. (While board certification is a good measure of a doctor's knowledge, many excellent doctors are not board certified.)
• Call the American Medical Association (AMA) at (312) 464-5000 for information on training, specialties, and board certification about many licensed doctors in the United States. This information also can be found in "Physician Select" at AMA's Web site: http://www.ama-assn.org/aps/amahg.htm.

Contact the doctors' offices

When you have found a few names of doctors you might want to try, call their offices. The first thing to find out is whether the doctor is covered by your health plan and is taking new patients. If the doctor is not covered by your plan, are you prepared to pay the extra costs?
Below are some questions you might want to ask the office manager or other staff. Note that some of these items might have more to do with the health plan than with the doctor's office.
• How long does it usually take to get a routine appointment?
• What happens if I need to cancel an appointment? Will I have to pay for it anyway?
• Which hospitals does the doctor use?
• What are the office hours (when is the doctor available and when can I speak to office staff)?
• Does the doctor or someone else in the office speak my language?
• How many other doctors "cover" for the doctor when he or she is not available? Who are they?
• How long might I need to wait in the office before seeing the doctor?
• Does the office send reminders about prevention tests—for example, Pap smears?
• What if I need urgent care or have an emergency?
• Will the doctor (or a nurse or physician assistant) give advice over the phone for common medical problems?
• Will the doctor actually be the one performing any procedures such as insemination?
• You may also want to talk briefly with the doctor by phone or in person. Ask if you are able to do this and if there is a charge.
• The next step is to schedule a visit with your top choice. During that first visit you will learn a lot about just how easy it is to talk with the doctor. You will also find out how well the doctor might meet your medical needs.
Ask yourself if the doctor:
• Gave me a chance to ask questions?
• Really listened to my questions?
• Answered in terms I understood?
• Showed respect for me?
• Asked me questions?
• Made me feel comfortable?
• Addressed the health problem(s) I came with?
• Asked my preferences about different kinds of treatments?
• Spent enough time with me?