Checking out your Dr.

[Linda in Calif.]

Hi Everyone: I needed to ask for your help. A friend of mine just had her son diagnosed with Brain Cancer. It's very nasty and she is beside herself with worry. She asked me how I would go about checking out his Drs. on the InterNet because I am more computer literate than she is. I suggested the AMA website, State of Calif. Medical Liscencing Board (where we live) and Quack.com. Then I thought that maybe some of you knew of a web site that might give her information. Her son has Kaiser Ins. His Drs. last name is unusual....Ezeerett....he is a neurosurgeon.....but when I tried to search for it I didn't find anything. Any help would be great! Thanks!!! Linda in Calif.

[Kristen]

Good evening Linda,
If the place she is taking her son, they should give a bio of him usually at there home page. Mine was US Oncology. I also paid for a search to see if there was any formal complaints and testimonials from other patients on how they cared for you. I can't remeber the site, but if you look up the Cal State medical and Nuerosurgery, they usually have a site that is not endorsed, but 3rd party. you may want to try that, or the other thing is going straight to the source. The nurses at the hospital are great informants on how the doctor treats there patients. I found out a lot about my surgeon and so forth. good luck. K

[Lolly]

I think Kristen's suggestion is a good one, the nurses are a good source of information. If they think a doctor is good, they'll say so, and if they have heard otherwise they'll usually say something like, "I don't know much about him/her"...you have to read between the lines a bit.
I hope your friend can find some balance in this very worrisome time; it's so much harder to handle our kids having to go through cancer. I wish her and her son the best.

Love, Lolly

[Sheila]

Linda
If you can email me and let me know the area of California I may be able to give you some input. My brother works in L.A. at a Kaiser Hospital as an interventologist with cardiac and neuro patients and stroke reversal...I am sure I can get a recommendation from him on the Neuro Dr you are asking about, or who he thinks is the best as he works at several Kaiser Facilities.
Hugs
Sheila

[michelemd]

I have done some research on brain treatment.

1. A recent AMA article indicated most brain cancer patients are not offered the option of chemo that crosses blood brain barrier. They give up on brain cancer patients awfully fast.

2. Researchers at Pittsburgh have stopped doing whole brain radiation in favor of radio surgery and chemo, getting good results.

Research treatments carefully first!!! Whole brain is a "standard of care" but I have refused it so far and I am fine, asymptomatic.

Check out Pub Med!!

Good luck
Michele in MD