First, think about what makes a good doctor. There are 24 boards, ranging from primary-care focuses such as family practice through specialties like urology, recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, an umbrella group. Patients also want to know how long a doctor has been practicing. Hospital affiliation is important, because that's where you'll be sent if you get sick. Then there's a doctor's record of malpractice and disciplinary penalties.
Malpractice is a particularly thorny issue.
Malpractice suits are common in some high-risk specialties, such as treating premature infants. There a legal action may not indicate a dangerous doctor. And some guides promise a quick answer. Another problem is that peer popularity does not necessarily equal performance. Hartz compared them with similar patients of physicians who didn't make the list.