Choosing an EP or consultant

[Andyt36]

Does anyone know of A site that rates EPs or consultants. If anyone can recommend an EP or cardio, in North or west London, that would be good. As I always like a second opinion, not second guessing the experts, but good to challenge them.

[CDreamer]

I don't think that it is appropriate to 'rate' doctors and know of no UK site, I have seen one US site though.

How would you rate a doctor? Against what criteria? And how qualified would people be to do so?

I do think it appropriate to ask them personally for their experience or research their CVs and some hospitals do publish resumes of their consultants and some consultants who work in the private sector publish their own resumes. BUPA website is a good place to start or the hospital websites or the BMC website.

[Andyt36 in reply to CDreamer]

Well I was thinking, that it is a service, and therefore as a service provider we should be able to rate them. E.g bedside manner, listening, engaging patient in their treatment etc

[cali111 in reply to Andyt36]

I agree but the consultants feel insulted for their work to be monitored( this was the comment made by a consultant to me)

[Buffafly in reply to Andyt36]

I discovered that in the case of an EP what really counts is his/her performance and the equipment available in the cath lab. My cardiologist decided I should have an ablation and the EP phoned me, ran very quickly through the procedure and stats, stamped on my feeble protestations and the next time I saw him was after my ablation for a quick check up before I was discharged when he was pretty charmless as well BUT he did a great job!!! I'm off all meds except Rivaroxaban and avoided having a pacemaker so I'm very happy. So I would say about the only rating you should be looking at is rate of complications as so much is dependent on the equipment and the team and even that could be misleading if a highly skilled EP is willing to take on more difficult cases.

[rosyG]

I did ask Sabine Ernst, EP at the Royal Brompton about her complications numbers for ablation and was very impressed but agree with C Dreamer- often results will depend on the condition of the patient before treatment so numbers may not help.

[jennydog]

I was scheduled to have a highly rated EP carry out my ablation but he was called away to deal with a teenager's emergency. One of his colleagues replaced him and I could not have received better treatment.

I agree with CDreamer.

[Andyt36 in reply to jennydog]

Hi Jennydog, thank you. Like I said it's more about rating their service and them being accountable. I don't see the issue, plenty of sites rating ,GPs.

[CDreamer in reply to Andyt36]

They are accountable - through medical audit.

I don't think it is a within a patient remit to 'rank' doctors. I really don't care too much about bedside manner in a surgeon, I do care about skill, ability and success rate. I personally would not trust a web-site ranking based upon subjective comments from patients who may have personal opinions and bias.

[Andyt36 in reply to CDreamer]

Thankscdreamer

[LindaDaisy]

I think asking people for their opinion of individual EPs is the best way to go but it's often the team and hospital that count as well. I didn't choose my EP, Dr Grace at Papworth, but was referred to him from my local hospital. I am extremely happy with him, but when I had my ICD it was one of his team who did the operation under his supervision. It was unknown to me beforehand and had I known I would of been concerned, but she made a perfect job of it and I was very pleased. On one occasion my ICD fired and the EP who dealt with me was Dr Begley and again I was very happy with him and the technicians who explained things and answered all my questions. Papworth website has profiles of its senior staff and I imagine most hospitals do the same.

[Andyt36 in reply to LindaDaisy]

Thank you LindaDaisy, I guess that recommendations are even better😀 thank you

[NooNoo14]

Go to the AF Association website, you can do a search in your area although it doesn't rate them as such.

[Andyt36]

Thanks all most enlightening good to share experiences

[irene75359]

I am very uneasy that consultants may be 'insulted' by their work being monitored. I understood that after what happened in the 90s (see links below) that the results of a consultant's work was recorded (although not made available to the public).

independent.co.uk/life-styl...

and

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-...

Ultimately everyone, no matter how senior or skilled, is accountable and consultants are no different. Hopefully maverick, incompetent consultants can no longer slip through the net. I asked the surgeon who performed open-heart heart surgery on my daughter lots of pertinent questions and he didn't bat an eyelid nor was he in the least offended. This was a few years ago before widespread general use of the internet, but now if I am referred I immediately google the hospital and the consultant's name.

[Rellim296]

A few things spring to mind here.

One is that an EP who has a good reputation may also have a long waiting list.

Some doctors will offer hope to those for whom a procedure may not be a success. They may seem to have a poorer track record, as Buffafly says, than doctors who refuse to have anything to do with anyone even slightly dodgy. In the latter case, a reputation for success is based far more on the state of the patient than on the expertise of the EP.

Some doctors encourage patients to seek a second opinion and others don't.

[dmac4646]

its a very important question - if you look at failure and complication rates it would appear that low volume ( i.e less practice) means poorer outcomes - the name you hear mentioned a lot is Dr Schilling in London - you should check the volume of any operators before making a choice.

[Andyt36 in reply to dmac4646]

Thank you for you reply, I have seen Dr Wynn Davies but still reviewing.

[dmac4646 in reply to Andyt36]

healthunlocked.com/api/redi...

[Andyt36 in reply to dmac4646]

Thanks all very valuae j formation, Dr Schilling appears very open and transparent. I would say always good to have a second opinion.