Let's say you need a good orthopedic surgeon. How would you go about finding one?

There doesn't seem to be any way to know which ones are good....

I'd start off by asking my GP who he'd recommend.

wouldn't the GP recommend his golfing body or former med school roommate?

Sometimes they actually have good recommendations. DH and I have both had good experiences with each of our GP's referrals (we have diff. GP's).
You can also ask friends if they know of anyone.

i guess i'll try my GP. i think my insurance requires a referral anyway....

friends are really not reliable. one person can have a smooth experience while another one doesn't. i wish there were stats on "success rate" of surgeries of each dr, or at least on the types of surgeries they have experience with, and how many times...

You m ay have to choose between "skilled" and "personable".

If you live in NY, you can call Relief.

I think Rabbi Shuki Berman recommends surgeons/doctors.

Personally, I would look at the hospital as well. If it is a renowned hospital the odds are that they employ good surgeons.

We all know where the good doctors end up...

I saw the following article on this very topic just last week.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/02/14/ep.finding.dr.right/

Five ways to find Dr. Right

By Elizabeth Cohen
CNN

...

Breaking up, finding a new partner, hoping for the perfect match: Sound a lot like relationships? That's not a coincidence. Both involve trust, vulnerability, and seeing your most private body parts. "I consider the doctor-patient relationship to be as intimate as a life partnership," says Dr. Vicki Rackner, a professional patient advocate. "There are lots of nice people out there, but you would not want to marry most of them."

Here from Amy, Rackner, and others is advice about how to find Dr. Right.

1. Date before you get married

"Just as you would 'do' coffee on a first date instead of a weekend together, so, too, go to the first appointment with a problem of a limited scope, like a mole or a thyroid check," Rackner advises.

You can also go with no problem at all -- make an appointment to just chat with the doctor to get a feel whether you like him or her. Be aware, though, that as with dating, first impressions might be a bit rosy. " 'Meet the doctor' visits are nice, but everybody's on their best behavior, and there's no stress," says Dr. Michael Victoroff, another patient advocate.

For a list of questions to ask on the first date, click here.

2. Check them out on the Internet

If you Google a guy or gal you've started to date, Google a prospective new doctor, too. And why not go to MySpace and FaceBook -- you never know what you'll find.

Even more important, there are loads of Web sites that keep objective information on doctors (sadly, these sites don't exist for dating!). Check on training and board certification at the American Medical Association. Find out if they're board certified in a particular specialty by clicking here. Several Web sites (such as RateMDs.com and HealthGrades.com) also have doctor ratings -- make sure you find out what criteria they use.

3. Check out the family

Remember, you're not just marrying the doctor. You're marrying the whole family, which for a doctor means the office staff. They're way more important than you might think. When you're feeling desperately ill, you're at their mercy to squeeze you into a packed schedule. "A great doctor who has a grouchy receptionist, rude nurse, careless assistant and obnoxious partner is going to frustrate you," Victoroff says.

4. Ask your friends to fix you up.

But choose your friends carefully. If you're a Type A person who likes to ask lots of questions, asking your meek friend for a recommendation might end up in a mismatch. Choose someone who thinks more the way you do.

5. Go with your gut

This is perhaps the most important. It's perfectly OK to reject doctors simply because there's something about them that makes you feel a bit ill at ease. "I would suggest that patients actually like their provider," says Dr. Michael Woods, a surgeon who founded a group called Civility Mutual to help improve communication between patients and health care providers. "Patients should, after their first visit, have a sense of trust."

...

What kind of surgery are we talking about? Shoulder? Knee? Hip? Various orthopedic surgeons may specialize in different procedures. Feel free to PM me if you want regarding a hip or knee.

shoulder. yeah that's part of the problem, i need to find someone who specializes in shoulders, but it doesnt say that anywhere. i went to someone who was sports medicine, and he did 2 bad surgeries...

2 bad out of how many? That makes a big difference! My friend had a pretty major surgery with a doc who did over 5000 of that exact procedure and he botched up a bit on her and she heard from another big surgeon in the field that her surgeon is a top 2 in the world!

In Monsey there are two organizations that research this information so we always call them. I don't know if they would know doctors out of the area though.

I don't know which org. he is with, but he can recommend anywhere in the States. Let me know if you want his #

There is also a frum orginisation called Echo. They are in NY at least.