How to Find the Best Psychiatrists in Tucson AZ
Finding the best psychiatrists in Tucson AZ is not that much different compared to finding the best auto shop, the best barber, or the best club in town. It is also not significantly different from finding the best psychiatrists in another city of comparable size. Compared to finding the best barber or club, the difference is that fewer people can provide you with the right information needed to make an informed decision regarding finding a psychiatrist. In other words, far more people know about where to get a good haircut than finding a good psychiatrist.
Before we go over the guidelines, it is important to point out that apart from psychiatrists (who are MDs), there are other psychiatric professionals who provide services that are similar to those that psychiatrist provide. These include psychiatric nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) who specialize in psychiatry. All three professional groups (psychiatrists, NPs, and PAs) usually conduct psychiatric evaluations, diagnose conditions, and prescribe medications, and may provide psychotherapy depending on their specific training and experience. PAs however, must work under the supervision of an MD. With that said, the following are some general guidelines provided to help you in your search for the best psychiatrists in Tucson AZ.
Recommendations
Usually the first and for too many people the only research they do is getting recommendations from their primary care physician, family, and/or friends. While getting a recommendation from a trusted source is a good place to start, you will often need to do more if you want to find the right psychiatrist for your needs.
Once you get a few good recommendations on the best psychiatrists in Tucson, it is advisable to keep those psychiatrists on your list. They may be the first psychiatrists you will check out. However, remember that there will be other equally good psychiatrists to consider.
Online Search and Review Sites
Similar to other cities, the best psychiatrists in Tucson are likely to be listed on websites that provide listing services as well as independent review websites. These are sites that provide a listing of various businesses as well as what others are saying about them. Examples of these websites include Psychology.com and Healthgrades.com. Independent review sites can provide valuable information that will give you additional insight into the credentials, experience, and popularity of each psychiatrist that is listed.
Generally speaking, such sites take in reviews from those who have used the services of psychiatrists. Remember that even the best psychiatrists may have a few negative reviews, so you should look for a pattern of behavior that is not suitable to your needs. But more importantly, look for evidence that they specialize in psychiatry, offer the services that you’re looking for, are skillful at what they do, and have respectful staff and a welcoming environment.
Location
Although this may seem obvious, one of the more important considerations in finding the best psychiatrists in Tucson, or anywhere else, is where the offices of the psychiatrists are located. Tucson is a relatively big city and it can easily take an individual about one hour to drive from one end of the city to the opposite end. If you are going to regularly use the services of your psychiatrist, you should look to see that they are conveniently located either near your work or home or on regular route.
Once you have made a list, start narrowing it down by eliminating the psychiatrists who are too far away from you or located in areas that are difficult to reach. This will make your final selection much easier.
Call for an Office Visit
Once you have narrowed down the list to just a few, you should call each psychiatric provider and set up an office appointment a short consultation so that you and the psychiatrist can learn a little about each other. Such appointments usually have a nominal fee or may be free because they are not care full clinical sessions, but office time.
You may find that in casual conversations, you tend to learn more from them than the questions you ask over the phone. Just keep in mind that you are looking for a psychiatrist, not a friend. You want someone that can help you with the issues that you are facing, so that is the most important thing, not someone who may be friendly but does not deliver results.
Additional Services
It also helps to know that besides their regular service suites, some psychiatric providers offer additional specialized services that may be of additional help to their clients. These may include CBT, faith-based counseling, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and/or hypnosis depending on the professional. An example is Faith Integrated Psychiatry, which offers medication management, psychotherapy, life coaching, and faith-based counseling in an integrative fashion.
Conclusion
The good news is that there are many psychiatrists in Tucson AZ, the only issue is finding one that is right for you. Anyone who does a little research and pays close attention to the guidelines discussed is likely to find a psychiatric provider to work with that best suits his/her needs.
The author, Dr. Joy Kwakuyi, is the Founder and Lead Provider at Faith Integrated Psychiatry in Tucson AZ (www.faithandpsychiatry.com) and the bestselling author of “The Ultimate Cure for Depression: Leveraging Science and Faith for Total Healing.” The general public is welcome to download his FREE book and book a FREE phone consultation HERE.
