How to Find a Weight Loss Doctor

Obesity is a disease that is prevalent in the United States. Being overweight can cause serious medical complications, such as heart disease, diabetes and joint problems. Bariatrics is the medical specialty dealing with the treatment of obesity, from the conventional calorie counting method all the way to the invasive gastric bypass or lap band procedures. Finding a qualified and experienced weight loss doctor is not difficult, but it should be done with some care. The best resources for finding a weight loss specialist are referral from your general physician or through state and national medical associations.

Instructions

1

Request a referral from your primary care physician. Often, she will know the physician and will be aware of his educational background and professional affiliations. In many cases, health insurance companies -- especially Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) -- require that you be referred to a specialist by your primary care physician.

2

Contact your state medical association. These organizations have comprehensive listings of physicians according to their specialty. State associations are also able to give educational and background information about the doctors who are members of the association They can also provide up to date licensing and disciplinary action information on doctors.

3

Find a weight loss doctor through professional organizations, such as the American Society of Bariatric Physicians and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. These professional organizations have listings of weight loss doctors according to state, and they also have detailed background information on member doctors.

4

Search online physician referral services. Websites such as Premieredoctors, Directdoctorsplus and AnswerStat all refer to physicians based on specialty and state. They are able to give some background information on the physicians they refer, but the information is not always as detailed as that of professional organizations or state medical boards.