Finding the perfect GI doctor

Finding the perfect GI doctor has always been a challenge for me.  It seems that a good number of GI docs want the simple, let's scope the 50-something patient every two years and collect payment, kind of patient.  I realize that I may be lumping a lot of doctors into a pile here, but in my 26 years of Crohn's disease, trying to find a doctor that will stick with me through the ups and downs, has been hard to accomplish.  I had one GI doc, that came highly recommended I might add, that said "I don't do hospitals.  If you are going to need to be admitted, I am not the doctor for you."  What kind of doctor doesn't "do" hospitals?

I have discovered that the best thing to do is interview your prospective GI doc.  I have also concluded that university/research hospitals are the best bet.  My all-time favorite GI doc was at the University of Chicago.  I am in north Alabama.  So that wasn't very realistic.  My new GI doc is at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN and in my first meeting with her I asked as many questions of her as she asked of me. It also helped that when I name dropped my U of Chicago doc that I love, she knew exactly who I was talking about.

My favorite thing about my new favorite GI:  every other GI I've ever had is always chomping at the bit to put me on steroids.  My GI doc at Vandy has told me to expect a flare immediately following the birth of our baby.  I asked her if they would be putting me on a mega dose of steroid following the birth and she looked at me like I was crazy.  That was so refreshing.  Her response: "Why put you on steroids until a flare reveals itself?"   YAY no steroids!!