How to Find a Vascular PAD Specialist in 4 Easy Steps

Did you know that over 6 million people who are age 40 and older suffer from peripheral artery disease?  While millions of people are diagnosed each year, there are those who experience symptoms like pain in the extremities and difficulty exercising or moving and aren’t diagnosed until much later.

This means that by the time you get a diagnosis, your PAD may already be in an advanced state. After receiving this serious diagnosis, it’s important to find a PAD specialist to begin treatment.

Although it can be scary trying to find doctors while dealing with the pain and symptoms that come with this disease, it’s important to know that you’re not alone.

To help ease the stress of looking for a PAD specialist, we go over 4 ways that you can find a PAD specialist with less stress.

1. Check With Your Primary Care for a Referral

After you receive your diagnosis, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your primary care doctor and update them with the diagnosis, if another doctor diagnosed you. If you received your diagnosis from your primary care, then the next step would be to ask your primary care for a referral to a PAD specialist.

This is a great place to start for many reasons. Your primary care doctor already accepts your insurance plan and knows which doctors are within your network.

With a referral, you can get an appointment much sooner, with less hassle. It also allows you to focus on your treatment and managing your disease, instead of trying to figure out which doctor to see.

Referrals may also be required by your health insurance to ensure that you’re seeing the right specialist and to keep track of the care you receive for billing purposes.

2. Look for a PAD Specialist in Your Area

Looking for specialists that are in your area is a good way to find local PAD specialist doctors that are more likely to be in your network as well. By staying local with your specialist, it’ll be easier to make appointments and figure out travel arrangements if necessary.

There are many ways you can search in your area, including using websites that use a grading system for their doctors that grade doctors on factors like their patient’s outcome and treatment. This can give you a good idea of the doctor’s treatment methods and demeanor before you meet them.

Using web searches can be a good starting point when looking for the best PAD specialist in your area. This can be a good way to narrow down your list of choices before you meet them so that you spend more time with the doctor you decide on.

Sometimes it’s easier to find a vascular clinic near you, with specialists who can help. Clinics like these will have a specialist that you can make an appointment with like a Modern Vascular PAD specialist. From here you can get the ball rolling on your treatment.

3. Look for Specialists That Accept Your Insurance Provider

Picking a specialist that accepts your insurance is important because medical costs add up quickly. When seeking treatment for PAD, the course of treatment is spread out over time to help manage your symptoms. This means that your doctor may prescribe you medications to help lower cholesterol levels, manage pain, prevent blood clots, and other conditions that might accompany this disease.

Surgery may be required if part of your blood vessels are blocked to restore blood flow. With multiple medications and possible surgeries, insurance will most likely cover most of the cost. Your insurance provider can also tell you how much treatments may cost you before they happen so you aren’t blindsided by any costs down the road.

When you’re able to worry less about how your care will be covered, you’re able to focus on your treatment and recovery that goes along with it.

4. Go With a Specialist That’s Right for You

Not all doctors will be right for you. If you find that a doctor makes you feel uncomfortable, not heard, or their treatment plan doesn’t work for you, then it is within your rights to try out other doctors. It’s important that you feel at ease with your doctor and specialists since they’re the ones who will be treating you.

A doctor-patient relationship is one that is built on trust, communication, and empathy. Because PAD is a painful disease, being comfortable with your PAD specialist will help lessen the tension on days that are more painful.

Part of the treatment for PAD involves guided exercise, which is often painful. In order to work through this pain, it’s important that you have a strong support system, which includes your doctor.

When you feel good about your doctor, you’re much more likely to adhere to the treatment plan they create for you. When it comes to managing PAD, your road to feeling better starts with tackling the disease head-on.

Find a PAD Specialist Today!

Peripheral artery disease is a serious disease that requires a specialist to treat. Finding a PAD specialist doesn’t have to add stress to your already stressed-out body. A specialist that you feel comfortable with, and is covered by your insurance will help make sure that you get the help you need.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more like this, be sure to check out our other posts in health and education today!