We are coming to the Villages to rent for three months to see if we would like to buy a home.
Right now in Western Michigan I am searching for a doctor who treats me like a human being with brains; who listens, doesn't shrug off my thoughts, or pretend to hear and then ignore the issue. I won't go into details. Generally I have had good experiences with doctors. But now looking for an Internal Med specialist in a city near my home; unfortunately very few take medicare patients.
So it makes me wonder how the doctors around retirement areas survive, since a lot of their patients would be on Medicare and MUCH lower payments than private insurance.
I just joined an online organization:
www.angieslist.com
I discovered from an article in an online magazine. They gather ratings only from members (A small cost to join). Unlike other rating sites, the ratings are not kept anonymous from the business (or doctor) rated. They have an opportunity to respond, (but privacy issues would limit a doctor's response). At least it would make a person or disgruntled employee think twice before giving an undeserved bad rating.
I haven't used the ratings yet because I may as well wait until we get back from the Villages since I won't have time to see a doctor before we leave. But I'm hoping it will be helpful. You actually join a regional area, but I was told that if traveling, or in Florida for a time, they would be happy to check what I needed. That includes mechanics and many other services.
If you do check out the site, ... they offered to waive the initiation fee because I sent an email asking a question. They are also offering members the opportunity to purchase gift membership at an even lower rate. I think they are trying to build up their member base because the more who belong, the more effective it will be. They also ask, when you join, if you will rate two services you have recently received (but it's not a requirement.)
If anyone knows something I don't and needs to write a caution about this site, please do! Reading this thread I thought it might just fit into to what some of you are suggesting.
