Let’s face it, when it comes to staying healthy, an apple a day just won’t cut it. Whether you’re a Southwest Florida newcomer or just a newcomer to your insurance company, tracking down a local doctor who meets your needs—and the needs of your healthcare plan—requires a thorough search.

“Sarasota has excellent physicians,” says Intercoastal Medical Group’s Dr. John Steele, who oversees the hiring of Intercoastal physicians for both Manatee and Sarasota counties. Of course, you have to know where to look for those excellent physicians, and you have to know what to look for.

Browse the Top Doctors in Sarasota
Allergy & Immunology	Obstetrics & Gynecology
Cardiovascular Disease	Ophthalmology
Colon & Rectal Surgery	Orthopaedic Surgery
Dermatology	Otolaryngology
Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism	Pediatrics
Family Medicine	Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Gastroenterology	Plastic Surgery
Gynecologic Oncology	Psychiatry
Infectious Disease	Pulmonary Disease
Internal Medicine	Rheumatology
Medical Oncology	Surgery
Nephrology	Thoracic Surgery
Neurological Surgery	Urology
Neurology
To search the whole list click here.

Where you look starts right here. You could begin with our exclusive listing of top doctors in Sarasota and Manatee, which is compiled by national medical publishing company Castle Connolly and is available in this issue. The list features area physicians at the forefront of their specialties, lauded by their peers and then carefully screened by Castle Connolly. But bear in mind: This is the cream of an outstanding crop of local doctors. Sarasota and Manatee counties boast many other talented physicians with satisfied patients.

What you look for depends on who you are. “If you’re over 65, you find somebody who’s board certified and near your home,” Steele advises. “If you’re under 65, the first thing you do is find out who’s covered in your insurance.”

Next step: Look for someone who is affiliated with a local hospital. Doctors requesting affiliation “are screened very heavily,” says Steele. “The hospital staff validates everything.” To join a hospital, a doctor must undergo a rigorous examination that includes background checks, contact with each previous place of employment, professional references and verification of proficiency in any procedure the physician wants to offer. In terms of finding qualified, competent physicians to choose from, the hospital’s credentialing department has already done the legwork for patients.

Pat Driscoll, marketing director for Doctor’s Hospital of Sarasota, points to the variety of ways hospitals make their physician information available. Hospital Web sites should be your first stop, “and because the information is online, it’s up to date,” she says. “You can see a photo, find out about credentials, education, everything.”

In addition to the Internet, friends and family can be a good source of recommendations, says Steele. “Or some people just go through the [phone] book.”

For a more interactive search, “Look in the Yellow Pages under physician referral,” says Driscoll. Referral lines allow you to work with a real person to coordinate your personal preferences, like the doctor’s certification and education, with practical realities, like availability and insurance restrictions. “You can describe what you’re looking for. They’ll give you names and numbers for physicians that they know are taking patients,” says Driscoll.

If you have preferences for a doctor’s credentials, specialties, or even where he or she went to school, a referral line can steer you in the right direction. And when time is a factor, as it so often is, referral lines can often point you to a doctor who accepts walk-ins.

Patients should note that the lines are generally manned by customer service personnel, not medical professionals, but in most cases nurses are available if callers need help determining their medical needs. Susan Shapiro, a registered nurse for more than 25 years, oversees nurses who help answer questions for 24-hour referral lines in Southwest Florida, including those for Doctor’s Hospital of Sarasota, Englewood Community Hospital and Blake Medical Center in Bradenton. “We have information in our system on [the doctors’] background, education, clinical interest, what age they treat, when they can see patients,” she says. “Board certification is important to the majority of people—and we can explain what various certifications mean. A lot of women these days want a female doctor—especially when it comes to women’s health issues. Some people say, ‘I want a doctor who’s trained at Ivy League schools,’ or ‘I want a D.O. [doctor of osteopathy].’”