If you suffer from prostate cancer and seek treatment, you need to find a skilled urologist experienced in prostate cancer treatment. A urologist with whom you can have an honest and comfortable discussion about your disease and its management can help ease your stress about your condition.
Some prostate cancer patients play an active role in deciding the treatment option and managing their condition, while others feel comfortable by finding a good urologist and doing what the urologist recommends. Both of these ways are okay as long as you have found a skilled urologist who can provide you the best treatment.
How do you know the urologist you found for prostate cancer treatment is the best one for you? Read on to find out tips for your search.
Verify the Credentials of the Urologist
If you have already decided on a urologist and want to know if the urologist is best for your prostate cancer treatment, check the credential and board certification of the urologist. Board certification will tell you whether your selected urologist has needed training, skills, and experience. A urologist whose subspeciality is prostate cancer will be the suitable choice for you. You should also look for a clean history of disciplinary actions and malpractice claims.
Consider the Urologist’s Experience in Prostate Cancer
A urologist’s experience plays a vital role in the success of medical procedures they perform. Therefore, it is essential to know how many procedures similar to yours the urologist has performed during their practice. You should also ask how often the doctor has encountered complications and how they prevent or manage them.
Read Patient Reviews
To get an insight into how the urologist practices and performs procedures, you can check patient reviews online. It’s better to read the reviews of prostate cancer patients who got treatment or surgery from your potential urologist. Patients often share the outcomes of their treatment, experience with the urologist, post-treatment care by a urologist, wait times, and office environment. This will help you better understand what you should expect from treatment and post-treatment care.
Evaluate Communication and Bedside Manner
Finding a urologist interested in getting to know you and your condition is important. Your first encounter with a urologist will help you determine whether the urologist welcomes your questions and how they respond to them. You should also note if you are comfortable discussing your condition with the urologist and if they respect your decision-making process.
The best and skilled urologist will guide you at each step of your prostate cancer treatment journey.
Check For Insurance Coverage
It is also important to double-check if the selected urologist participates in your insurance plan. This will help you receive the most benefits of your plan and pay the least out-of-pocket cost.
Prostate Cancer Treatment in Phoenix, AZ
If you have prostate cancer and are seek lasting treatment, look no further than Dr. Desiderio (Desi) Avila, Jr. of Ironwood Urology. Dr. Avila is a board-certified and fellowship-trained urologist with over 15 years of experience diagnosing and treating patients with urologic issues, including prostate cancer. Dr. Avila will thoroughly assess your condition and devise a customized treatment plan for you. He has excellent bedside manner and exceptional skill in delivering effective care to patients.
In our urology clinic, we treat patients as a whole and regard every patient like family. Call Ironwood Urology at (480) 961-2323 or request an appointment online now.
