Finding The Best Vein Doctor – A Vascular Surgeon’s Perspective

How To Begin Your Search

• Referral from a primary physician
• Self-guided search on the internet
• Responding to targeted Advertisements on Facebook, Instagram or local newspapers/magazines. 

No matter how you find a particular vein doctor in your area, we recommend some due diligence.   Vein clinics have variable experience and physicians with different backgrounds.  Inexperience is the number one factor for decreased satisfaction, incomplete care and complications. 

A Google Search

Like any search, most individuals are looking for a service provided locally.  Speaking to our own patients, a typical search involves a query for a “vein doctor near me” or “best vein clinic near me.”  Oftentimes, patients are looking for something in a nearby town and will specify a city (for example, “varicose vein doctor in White Plains).”   Google understands a  “near me” search  as someone looking to make an appointment.   Page 1 results are divided into 3 segments:

1. The top of the page will have 2 or 3 sponsored results (i.e advertisements)
2. The next section typically contains a boxed section of 3 or 4 centers nearest your search location (see image below)
3. The rest of the first page includes organic results ranked by relevance to the search term,  reputation, and the website’s user experience.  

Experienced searchers skip sponsored results with the understanding that the ad dollars spent does not equate to quality.

The local pack is the most important section and provides information about clinics nearest your location.  The results can be sorted on star-ratings, proximity and regional presence.  You can even filter your results to show only clinics that accept Medicare.  We have a few  suggestions to strengthen your results:

• Choose a vein specialist with board-certification in either vascular surgery, interventional radiology or cardiology.   For any other specialty, you should be certain they are certified with the American Board of Vascular and Lymphatic Medicine (ABVLM).
• Filter your results for top-rated over distance.  The initial results are often based on proximity, however patients should filter their results further and consider clinics with an average review rating of 4.5 or more.
• Evaluate the authenticity of the reviews.  To gain a competitive advantage on google, many low quality clinics spam the review section with fake reviews.

The vein clinic’s online presence can tell you a lot about their quality of care. In the modern age, it’s imperative for vein clinics to maintain an educational website and have a strong online presence. If the vein clinic’s website looks dated, it’s likely that their investment into the rest of their practice is also questionable.

Good vein treatment requires the provider to have an understanding of your goals and  be able to customize his or her treatment to your situation and needs.   Your vein doctor should be willing to take the necessary time to explain their treatment plan and expectations.  Most qualified vein doctors are enthusiastic about sharing their before and after photos to help visualize outcomes. Patient reviews on patient forums can also provide honest feedback from patients regarding their experiences with potential surgeon candidates.

At the Vein Specialist Centers, we maintain an up to date website that’s complete with educational information you can use to understand your vein disease and prospective treatments.

It’s not enough for a vein clinic to just have the best doctors and latest technologies. Pay attention to the individuals assisting your vein doctor and completing your vein evaluation. Vein clinics run as a team, and one of the most overlooked members is the ultrasonographer. These individuals have completed formal training in the diagnosis and treatment of vein disease using ultrasound techniques. They are the backbone of a good clinic and will help provide the necessary information to your vein doctor to make treatment plans. If the data provided to your doctor is not coming from a reliable source, then you should consider an alternative clinic. Vein clinics that prioritize the hiring of certified and experienced sonographers have made a commitment to safety and the quality of their clinic. At the Vein Specialist Centers, our team of ultrasound technicians and physicians are all certified by ARDMS, the organization that is the recognized standard for excellence in ultrasound.