Austin Monthly Article
February 2002

How in the world does one go about choosing a doctor? According to the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, at last count, there were more than 2,500 primary – and direct-care physicians in Travis County. And that’s aside from the 45,000 other doctors in the state. In fact, Austin has one of the highest doctor-per-capita ratios in the country – about on doctor for every 260 people. Meaning that in Austin, there’s no reason to settle for anything other than the best physician for your specific medical needs.

These 2,500 doctors specialize in every field of medicine imaginable – in pediatrics, pathology, and psychiatry; in endocrinology and nutrition; and in surgical oncology and general practice. Some work in major medical centers, others at universities, still others in small private practice. Most important for you, they all bring their own combination of skill, style, expertise, and professional manner. How can you ensure that you are getting a doctor who is right for you?

If you’re like most people, you’ll probably ask family members or friends for advice, maybe a doctor that you know or currently see. Health care companies and HMOs can also help, but not much: often, their advice is limited to only the doctors and health groups in their referral networks. What most people don’t know is that everyone requires a particular kind of medical attention, delivered in a manner that’s best for them.

To help in the process, Austin Monthly, joined with an independent company for an extensive, peer-review-based survey of the 2,500 doctors in the Travis County area. Several hundred doctors previously identified as the best in their fields were asked: “If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty, and you could not treat them yourself, to whom would you refer them? Every doctor contacted was given the opportunity to comment, confidentially, on the other doctors listed in their specialty, and to nominate new ones.

The result is a comprehensive (but by no means all-inclusive) list of the 243 best doctors in Austin, divided into 34 medical specialties. It should be noted, of course, that some doctors may be either too young or too new to Austin to have established the kinds of referral contacts that older doctors have. Nevertheless, we hope the list is helpful to you in locating the finest-quality medical care available in the area.