Department of Health | Health Care Quality Assessment | How to Find a Doctor That's Right For You

Home
For Patients & Their Families
How to Find a Doctor That's Right for You
How to Find a Doctor That's Right For You

For Patients & Their Families

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Doctor

Your doctor is a key partner in caring for your health. Before you make your first appointment with a new doctor, find out:

Which types of medicine the doctor studied and currently practices
Whether the doctor is board certified in the types of medicine they practice
The hospital(s) with which the doctor is affiliated
Whether your health insurance carrier includes the doctor in its network (always verify this separately by calling your insurance carrier)

Additionally, call the doctor’s office staff to find out:

When and where the doctor keeps office hours
Which doctor(s) cares for their patients when they are unavailable

How to Find a Doctor That's Right For You

New Jersey Health Care Profile

New Jersey Health Care Profile, operated by the Division of Consumer Affairs under the authority of the NJ Office of the Attorney General, allows visitors to search for any physician or optometrist practicing in the state of New Jersey. The website provides information about practitioners' credentials and education, any history of disciplinary actions, hospital restrictions (for physicians and podiatrists), and malpractice payments, among other details.

American Medical Association DoctorFinder

DoctorFinder, operated by the American Medical Association (AMA), provides basic professional information on virtually every one of the more than 814,000 licensed physicians in the United States.

More detailed information, including office hours, accepted insurance providers, and educational history is available for physicians who are members of the AMA.

Physician Compare

Physician Compare, operated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), helps you find and choose physicians' offices and other health care practices enrolled in Medicare. At this time, you can compare group practices on Physician Compare. You'll be able to compare individual physicians and other health care professionals in the future. Physician Compare includes only physicians and other health care professionals who are currently enrolled in Medicare.