A nuerologist deals with complex disorders that can occur in the brain.
Physicians who specialize in neurology--called neurologists--help patients with disorders that affect the nerves, brain or spinal cord, such as stroke, epilepsy or Alzheimer's disease, according to the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Neurologists can consult with primary care doctors on specialized problems or provide continuous care for patients with major neurological diseases. There are four main ways to find a physician for neurology.
Instructions
1. Ask your family doctor. Because neurological problems are specialized types of disorders, talk to your family doctor first about why you feel you need a neurologist. Ask for recommendations for neurologists in your area who treat the specific problem you need treated. Because your family doctor is familiar with your own individual health circumstances, he can tailor his list of options with your individual needs in mind. He can also work with the neurologist to manage your care.
2. Search through your local hospital or clinic. Community hospitals, private clinics and large medical group practices usually have several neurologists on staff; you may contact your local hospital to ask about their neurology services, or you may search on the hospital's website. Local hospitals and clinics usually provide helpful information about their staff neurologists--online and over the phone--such as their educational background, training, areas of expertise and whether they are accepting new patients.
3. Search through national professional associations. Medical associations that specialize in neurology all provide information to help find a neurologist in your area. The American Academy of Neurology provides a very simple tool on its website that allows you to find a local physician for neurology; the American Neurological Association also provides a complete list of all neurological associations should you wish to search for a neurologist who practices a special kind of neurology. The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology also maintains a directory of all board-certified neurologists; a tool on its website lets you search by your city, state, or Zip code to find a certified neurologist in your community.
4. Check with your health plan. Because a physician for neurology is a specialist, you should contact your health insurance plan's customer service center to get a list of neurologists who are within your plan's network of doctors. Some health plans make these network directories available on their member websites; others send out hard copies of the directory once a year. You may also call the telephone number on your health insurance card and ask the staff for help in finding an in-network neurologist in your community.
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